The 2024 European farmers' protests are a series of protests by farmers that have been occurring since December 2023. The farmers have protested against low food prices, proposed environmental regulations (such as a carbon tax, pesticide bans, nitrogen emissions curbs and restrictions on water and land usage), and trade in agricultural products with non-European Union member states, such as Ukraine and the Mercosur bloc of South America.[1][4][5][6] The protests take place in a context of the Common Agricultural Policy, a program where the EU provides €57 billion in subsidies to farmers (approximately a quarter of all EU subsidies).[7]
| 2024 European farmers' protests | |
|---|---|
 Tractors at Saint-Etienne-de-Fontbellon (Ardèche, Occitania) during the French farmers' protests in January 2024. | |
| Date | December 2023 – present |
| Location | |
| Caused by |
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| Goals |
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| Methods |
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| Status | Ongoing |
| Casualties | |
| Death(s) | 2 |
| Injuries | 3 |
| Arrested | at least 91[3] |
Under the European Green Deal, which aimed at making the European bloc carbon-neutral by 2050, farmers would need to devote 4% of their arable land to non-productive purposes and reduce the use of fertilizer by 20%.[8] In response to the protests, the EU backtracked on policies to consider farming emissions in its 2040 climate roadmap, a law to cut pesticide use and delaying implementation of a target for farmers to leave some land fallow to improve biodiversity.[6] In France and Germany, farmers protested against proposals to scrap tax breaks for agricultural diesel.[9] The farmers also protested against the EU–Mercosur free trade agreement.[10] In the Netherlands, farmers protested against reductions in nitrogen emissions.[8]
The methodology of the farmers is often street blockades and protesting.[11] There are also often occupations, demonstrations, illegal dumping and barricades done by farmers, especially in the Netherlands and France.[12]
Farmers protests by country
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Belgium
editThe Belgian farmers' protests began on 1 February 2024 and ended on 26 February 2024. Farmers and the farmers' unions protested over their standard of living and lower income than before.[13] Several key protests took place in the European Quarter of Brussels surrounding the European Parliament.[14]
France
editThe farmers' protests in France are a combination of protests and road blockages, these protests and blockades have been organized mainly by agricultural unions since 18 January 2024.[15] The farmers protests' began on a small scale in October 2023 in Occitania.[16] On 16 January 2024, farmers in Toulouse began a demonstration, which evolved into a road blockade of the A64 autoroute by Occitan Farmers and even a radical action of winemakers.[17] Road blockades were ongoing and common from 23 January 2024 until Prime Minister Gabriel Attal conceded on 1 February.[18][19]
Germany
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Farmers' protests in Germany began on a major scale on 16 December 2023 in response to the phasing out of tax breaks for diesel subsidies by the German Government due to their unconstitutional misuse of COVID-19 relief funds.[20] In Germany, the opposition parties such as the Alternative for Germany and Christian Democratic Union of Germany have supported the protestors.[21][22]
Netherlands
editFarmers' protests in the Netherlands have been ongoing since October 2019, it was mainly started over proposals and legislation to limit human impact on the nitrogen cycle. The farmers' protests in the Netherlands has led to the growth of the Farmer–Citizen Movement, with it having won 16 seats out of 75 seats in the Dutch Senate and 7 seats in the House of Representatives out of 250 seats.
Poland
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In Poland the farmers' protests began on 9 February 2024 in response to the European Green Deal, along with the importation of Ukrainian grain into Poland and the wider European Union. Polish beekeepers, farmers, truckers and foresters began protesting, with nearly all farmers' unions supporting the protests. Roads and highways have often been blocked by Polish farmers and truckers.[23]
Spain
editOn 3 June 2024, Catalan farmers' platform Spanish Revolta Pagesa organized with several Spanish and French farmer unions to block crossing points along the Spanish-French border from Irun to La Jonquera across the Pyrenees.[24] About 150 tractors blocked crossings on the Spanish side of the border, while about six tractors blocked traffic from the French side, allowing only medical, emergency, and school transport vehicles to pass. About 200 farmers also blocked the Spanish-Andorra border at at La Farga de Moles. The protesters' goal was to prioritize local production, to push tax breaks on energy used to produce food, and to push equal requirements, greater food security, and preference for EU products over non-EU imports. The date of the protest was meant to pressure EU institutions prior to Elections for the EU Parliament.[25]
Responses
editGovernments
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Emmanuel Macron has urged European leaders to bring about a reform to the farming sector and to guarantee fair prices to farmers.[8] Gabriel Attal, the Prime Minister of France announced an aid package worth $160 million in aid for French farmers in need of the financial aid.[26]
Christian Lindner, who is the German Federal Minister of Finance said that the German Government cannot afford to help farmers, saying "There is no more money."[27]
European Union
edit
The European Union has conceded to some farmers' demands, especially those of Polish farmers, agreeing to implement cap on tariff-free Ukrainian grain imports.[28]
Misinformation
editThe European fact-checking sites Newtral and Science Feedback analyzed that the farmers' protest is being weaponized to sabotage climate action.[29]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Polish farmers protest against Ukrainian imports and EU Green Deal". euronews. 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ "Boerenprotest zet prijzendiscussie op de agenda". FoodAgriBusiness.nl (in Dutch). 18 December 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Colère des agriculteurs : Ce qu'il faut retenir de la journée de mercredi - France Bleu". 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ "Farmers' protests: EU to cap some Ukrainian tariff-free imports". 2024-03-20.
- ^ Liakos, Sophie Tanno, Chris (2024-02-03). "Farmers' protests have erupted across Europe. Here's why". CNN.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Farmers clash with riot police in Brussels as EU agriculture leaders meet". The Guardian. 2024-02-26. ISSN 0261-3077.
- ^ "Why are farmers across Europe protesting?". DW. 2024.
- ^ a b c "What to Know About the Farmer Protests in Europe". TIME. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "France drops plan to decrease farmers' diesel discount but protests to continue". Reuters. 2024.
- ^ "EU-Mercosur trade deal draws ire of European farmers". France 24. 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Farmers Block Roads With Tractors in Protest of EU Regulations". Voice of America. 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ à 09h43, Par Julie Rimbert Le 16 janvier 2024 (2024-01-16). "En colère, les agriculteurs d'Occitanie manifestent une nouvelle fois ce mardi à Toulouse". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-03-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Times, The Brussels. "'Won't let this happen again': Farmers to protest this week". www.brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ Times, The Brussels. "Farmer protests: Violent clashes with police, three officers injured". www.brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ ""On va mener une action qui va marquer les esprits": les agriculteurs veulent bloquer les autoroutes ce jeudi". ladepeche.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ "'The French farmers' movement doesn't really have any similarities with the Yellow Vests'". Le Monde.fr. 24 January 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "Explosion dans un immeuble vide ciblé par les agriculteurs à Carcassonne". Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Willsher, Kim (2024-01-29). "France warns farmers that blocking Paris market will be red line in protest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
- ^ Ioanes, Ellen (2024-02-03). "The French farmers' protests are more complex than they seem". Vox. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Germany's highest court annuls a decision to repurpose COVID relief funding for climate measures". AP News. 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ "CDU und CSU unterstützen weitere Bauernproteste". ZDFheute (in German). 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
- ^ "AfD Sachsen steht am 8. Januar an der Seite der Bauern! - AfD Sachsen" (in German). 2024-01-04. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
- ^ "Polish farmers block crossings on German border again – DW – 03/18/2024". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ "Farmers block Spanish-French border in major pre-EU elections protest". euronews. 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Sánchez Iranzo, Marta (2024-06-03). "Catalan farmers block key French-Spanish border crossings in 24-hour protest". El Nacional. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Ioanes, Ellen (2024-02-03). "The French farmers' protests are more complex than they seem". Vox. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Staff, A. O. L. (2024-01-15). "There's no more money, German minister tells rowdy farmers". www.aol.com. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "EU agrees to cap tariff-free Ukraine farm imports". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "Fertile Ground for Disinformation". Climate Facts Europe. European Fact-Checking Standards Network. June 3, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.