Across Europe, angry farmers have lifted their blockades. Some routes still remain disrupted. The time has come to implement government and European announcements. In France, the next agricultural show could serve as a new catalyst.
The vast farmers’ protest movement which has shaken Europe in recent weeks is experiencing a sharp ebb this Saturday.
In France, most of the roadblocks were lifted this Friday after the latest announcements from the French government. Paris notably confirmed the maintenance of the authorization to use pesticides used in other EU countries and set limits for foreign imports, mainly from countries outside the EU.
If many French farmers seemed resigned to lifting their blockades, on the instructions of their unions, many expressed their intention to resume their actions if the government’s words were not followed by effect. The subject will return to the agenda at the next agricultural show which is to be held in Paris from February 24.
However, the Peasant Confederation has announced that it wants to hold on until at least February 5. The union activists of this union believe that Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has “completely forgotten” certain sectors such as beekeeping and small livestock farming.
In Romania, farmers are also breaking camp after weeks of mobilization. The Romanian government announced on Friday the signing of an agreement to end the protests and blockades that have lasted for weeks in the country. Farmers and truckers have expressed anger over high insurance and low environmental subsidies for purchasing heavy machinery, such as trucks and tractors. Farmers also denounced their low income and foreign competition, particularly from Ukraine.
In Belgium, the movement also seems to be ebbing. After the big mobilization on Thursday, the main blocked roads and road interchanges were gradually returned to traffic this Friday. But the farmers’ anger has not been completely appeased, even if the government and European promises received have reduced the tension a little. Farmers set up numerous roadblocks along the border with the Netherlands on Friday. The highways there are among the busiest in Europe and many of them lead to the port of Antwerp, the second largest in Europe.
A schedule of meetings with the Belgian authorities has been set to monitor this end to the crisis.
In Portugal, access to the Vasco-de-Gama bridge, one of the two crossings over the Tagus in Lisbon, was partially blocked. Since Thursday, major roads have been closed across the country, and some of them have started to be lifted after the government assured additional financial support to farmers.
