The farmer protests that started in France and spread across Europe in mid-January reflect a multifaceted set of grievances shared by farming communities. The main issues fuelling the protests are bureaucratic difficulties and concerns about protecting farmers’ livelihoods in the face of the rising cost of living in Europe.[1] Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, farmers in many European Union (EU) countries have seen their costs increase, particularly energy, fertiliser and transport costs. At the same time, recognising the impact of the cost of living crisis on consumers, governments and retailers have taken action to reduce rising food prices.[2]
The EU, which has been exposed to the negative effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine, is now sensitive to public protests over the cost of living and is trying to listen to public concerns. Although governments and retailers are trying to reduce food prices in response to the cost of living crisis, farmers have criticised that these efforts are not enough. It is obvious that solution-oriented decisions should be taken with changes in agricultural policies and economic support.
Farmers in Eastern Europe continue to complain about cheap agricultural imports from Ukraine, including cereals, sugar and meat. The EU has waived quotas and duties on imports from Ukraine.[3]
Considering that Ukraine has vast fertile agricultural lands, these will reduce the price of agricultural products in the EU. While factors such as water scarcity and extreme temperatures caused by the climate crisis have already negatively affected agriculture and increased costs, the cheapening of Ukrainian agricultural products in the food market on top of this has led farmers in Europe to seek their rights. Farmers consider that these regulations undermine their ability to compete effectively in a globalised economy. The European Commission met and adopted a resolution proposing limits on agricultural imports from Ukraine. However, this was not seen as a sufficient measure by farmers.
Although protests differ in each country, farmers generally have the same common goals. For instance, farmers continue to protest in many parts of Germany because the German government is considering removing subsidies in agriculture. The fact that farmers continue to protest even though the Berlin Government has updated the reductions in agricultural subsidies shows that the concerns in the field of agriculture are quite deep. In this context, it is understood that farmers in Germany have united and created a platform where their demands are realised more effectively. In France, which ranks first in agricultural production in the EU, farmers continue to protest against food inflation and the pesticide ban.
The most frequently voiced criticism in the protests is that the introduction of strict rules on the use of pesticides and carbon fertilisers under the green deal makes agricultural production difficult. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced new measures including tax cuts and financial aid for farmers. Although these aids and policies have not yet been deemed sufficient, it is understood from the government side that the protests are actually continuing successfully. Similarly, farmers in Italy, who are disturbed by low wages and price pressures, have been demonstrating their reaction by placing their tractors at the entrances of the cities on the basis of the Green Deal. The farmers’ actions of blocking city entrances and exits show that they are trying to draw an effective strategy by publicising their protests to large masses.
The main focus of Polish farmers is on cheap grain products from Ukraine. Polish farmers blocked the borders with their tractors to prevent Ukrainian food products from entering their country. Similar scenes were observed especially in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Expressing their discontent with the EU’s environmental policies, hundreds of tractors blocked the city centre and then angry farmers organised protests by throwing eggs at the European Parliament. It is understood how urgent the demands of the farmers are in the EU, where chaotic scenes are also on display. In Greece, the government is expected to meet their demands by giving time to the government. The demands for more economic aid to farmers after the floods in Greece and the demands for a platform to revise environmental policies are important to manage the process more effectively.
Farmers’ protests are supported by public opinion due to many factors such as rising input costs, unfair foreign competition, financial difficulties and trade policy concerns. In addition to high fertiliser and fuel costs, the Russian-Ukrainian war has led to an increase in agricultural costs. In addition, given the cheap imports of agricultural products from foreign markets such as Ukraine, which lead to unfair competition, it will be inevitable for governments to differentiate their policies. As a result, farmers’ demands regarding economic hardship and environmental regulations reflect a widespread criticism of the European Union’s agricultural policies.
[i] “Europe’s Farm Protests: Here Are Some Of The Grievances”, CBC, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/europe-farmers-protests-grievances-1.7101704 , (Date of Access: 03.02.2024).
[ii] “Why Are Farmers Protesting Across The EU And What Can The Bloc Do About İt?”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/02/why-are-farmers-protesting-across-the-eu-and-what-can-the-bloc-do-about-it, (Date of Access: 03.02.2024).
[iii] “Farmers’ Protests Have Erupted Across Europe”, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/03/europe/europe-farmers-protests-explainer-intl/index.html , (Date of Access: 03.02.2024).
