Thousands of farmers from across Europe converged on Brussels with their tractors on Thursday, gathering at the EU summit to protest current agricultural policies.
Tensions escalated outside the European Parliament, where protesters set fire to tyres, damaged official buildings, and threw manure, vegetables, firecrackers, and other objects at police. Officers responded with water cannons and tear gas. Our colleagues from RTL Radio were on the scene and spoke with several farmers.
While the grievances are numerous, the primary focus of their discontent is the proposed Mercosur free trade agreement with South America. Despite the EU’s efforts to address some concerns and French President Emmanuel Macron’s declaration that he would not support the deal in its current form, one farmer from Dunkirk expressed a deep-seated distrust in political assurances.
He believes the European Commission has not truly reversed course, calling recent statements “empty talk to push through what they’ve already decided to push through.” He accused President Macron of attempting to lull farmers into a false sense of security, “just like he did two years ago.” Beyond Mercosur, this farmer also criticised a tax on fertilisers, which he described as “essentially an adjustment [...] to the fact that there’s no longer any industry in Europe.”
A Polish farmer at the protest criticised EU regulations and standards more broadly, arguing they create an unfair system. “It’s the same shit here as it is across the rest of Europe”, he stated. When pressed for specifics, he explained that Polish farmers feel “trapped” by a combination of European and domestic laws. He also raised concerns about mass imports from Ukraine and South America, insisting the imported cereals are “not the same quality” as those produced locally.
An Austrian farmer identified the budget as a central concern, describing it as “shrinking”. She called the 22% budget cuts “unacceptable”, emphasising their significant practical impact. She also highlighted the loss of the two-pillar structure, specifically the rural development component. In Austria, she noted, farmers have benefited “a great deal” from this second pillar, explaining, “That’s why we won’t, and can’t, put up with this.”
In a related development, media reports on Thursday evening indicated that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had informed EU leaders about a one-month postponement of the Mercosur trade agreement’s signing.
