Dutch and German farmers’ protests spread to France
In recent days, French farmworkers have joined the protests launched by farmers in other European countries, such as the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and, in the last few days, Germany, against the measures to combat “climate change”, which the European Union plans to impose and which affect their sector.
In particular, several hundred farmers blocked the A9 motorway from France to Spain at Perpignan at midday on Monday. The reason they allege is that while the application of European regulations makes them less competitive, sometimes limiting production, foodstuffs from non-EU countries are allowed to enter, and they will try to prevent the arrival of these goods.
The protests did not begin at midday but have been going on since Thursday afternoon when a large group of French farmers blocked the A64 motorway between Toulouse and Tarbes, and the RN124 and RN20 roads near the border with Andorra and Spain.
President Emmanuel Macron announced last Friday that government delegates will meet with workers in the first sector throughout the country this week to listen to their demands. For his part, Marc Fesneau, the Minister of Agriculture, will attend a meeting with representatives of agricultural unions in the centre of the country next Saturday.
