Tractors are becoming a familiar sight in Brussels streets, with columns of the four-wheelers again rolling through the city clanging claxons and draped with slogans reminding consumers of who is responsible for the produce that fills supermarkets (assuming that it's not the cheap imports that Europe's farmers are contesting.
Today's demonstration comes on the occasion of an AGRIFISH council meeting, which brings together agriculture ministers from Member States to discuss issues to protect the bloc's farmers from external competition. Agriculture unions have repeatedly raised the problem of competition from non-EU products that don't adhere to the same environmental and production standards.
As well as concrete steps to regulate such products, farmers are also calling for price caps that will ensure that they are paid at least the cost of production. In response to the demands, EU representatives agreed on Tuesday afternoon to soften some environmental conditions written into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which already has been watered down as a concession to protests.
Despite EU efforts to appease frustrated farmers, tensions rose at the demonstration on Tuesday as haybales were lit starting fires on the key artery of Rue de la Loi. Manure was sprayed onto buildings and directed towards police, who in turn deployed water cannons and fired teargas at protestors.
With elections just around the corner, farmers from across Europe are making sure that their grievances remain high on the agenda and many have vowed continued action. And whilst the loudest protestors are intent on pushing for greater compromises in their favour, the concessions that have been made already are substantial, raising alarm from environmental groups who stress that loosening stipulations on farmers will torpedo the EU's green targets.
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