Hundreds of farmers are still blocking this Tuesday, eight major highways serving Paris to continue to put pressure on the government of Gabriel Attal. The Prime Minister assured, before the Assembly, that there should be “a French agricultural exception”, and promised that the government would “on point, without any ambiguity” to respond to the agricultural crisis. Relive this new day of mobilization with France Bleu.
The essential
- Major highways around Paris still blocked this Tuesday
- The convoy bound for the Rungis market plans to spend the night in Orléans
- The president of the FNSEA believes that it is not a “good idea” to attack Rungis
- Blockades continue in several regions
- Emmanuel Macron declared his opposition to the Mercosur trade agreement
- What farmers got, what they are still asking for: the point in this article
- Emmanuel Macron will discuss the crisis Thursday in Brussels during an interview with the President of the European Commission
- Spanish and Italian farmers join European anger movement
Financial aid, Egalim controls, Gabriel Attal announces several measures
During his general policy speech before the National Assembly, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called for “a French agricultural exception”, and promised “to be there” to respond to the crisis. He announced several measures for farmers. “By March 15, all CAP aid will be paid into bank accounts” farmers, he said. The measure concerns farmers who have not yet received the balance of aid from the European agricultural support policy for 2023.
Gabriel Attal also mentioned a strengthening of tax aid for breeders And “a major control plan for product traceability”while more and more farmers have decided to inspect for themselves visibly foreign trucks on the roads of France, and denounce the importation of foodstuffs produced under conditions prohibited in France.
The Prime Minister also announced aid for fuel used by farmers, GNRor even for covering veterinary costs farms affected by the MHE epidemic, which affects cattle.
Gabriel Attal also announced the multiplication of controls to enforce the Egalim law, supposed to ensure the remuneration of farmers. All fines from industry and mass distribution will be redistributed to farmers, he promised.
He also announced an emergency fund before the end of the week for wine growers.
Gabriel Attal’s speech was received coldly by farmers interviewed by AFP. “It absolutely does not meet our expectations! We would have liked, for example, for it to announce (the abolition) of agricultural inheritance taxes”indicated the president of the Rural Coordination of Lot-et-Garonne, Serge Bousquet-Cassagne.
The exemption on fallows extended?
Gabriel Attal also announced that France was “close to achieving an extension of the derogation on fallow land. He said that France had brought together a coalition of 22 countries on the subject. “We will not let this happen”said the Prime Minister.
Emmanuel Macron opposes Mercosur
From Stockholm in Sweden, Emmanuel Macron declared that France opposes the Mercosur trade agreement, currently in negotiations between the European Union and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela). For the French president, the rules are not “homogeneous” with European rules.
The Head of State also estimated that it would be “easy to blame everything on Europe“to explain the difficulties of French farmers, who denounce certain obligations of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). He also asked for “clear measures” for imports of chickens and grain from Ukraine.
Camps in Île-de-France to lay the “siege” of Paris
For the second day, farmers were present on what they call the “siege” of Paristo continue to put pressure on the government. Eight highways [A1, A4, A5, A6, A10, A13, A15, A16] are still closed this Tuesday on certain portions. Other routes in Val-d’Oise, Seine-et-Marne or Yvelines are disrupted. To maintain this blockade, the demonstrators also set up camps to hold out in the long term.
Robin Bernaud
The convoy heading to Rungis plans to arrive this Wednesday
A convoy of more than 200 tractors left on Monday of Lot-et-Garonne with the objective of the Rungis market, at the call of the Rural Coordination. After spending the night in Limoges, the farmers hit the road again at 5 a.m. on the A20 this Tuesday. The convoy, 3 km long, grew gradually. The police blocked the convoy north of Limoges, forcing the farmers to continue their journey on the departmental road.
Part of the convoy managed to recover the A20 once it arrived in Indre, near Argenton-sur-Creuse. Other tractors are still on the departmental roads. The department prefecture announced the closure of the A20 between interchanges 9 and 14 towards Paris. The gendarmes’ strategy is “to bring everyone together on this highway“, tells us France Bleu Berry.
The convoy paused at lunchtime a few kilometers before Châteauroux. The objective of the day is now Orleans to spend the night there. The farmers plan to arrive in Rungis on Wednesday.
Marc Bertrand
loading
For his part, Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, estimated on Europe 1 that to go “make the coup at Rungis“, the food lung of Paris, was not”not a good idea“, standing out strongly from the Rural Coordination. “I recall the need for calm, non-violence“, he said.
Other convoys on their way to Île-de-France
Another convoy, leaving Eure this Tuesday morning, also wants to join the “headquarters” in Paris. He was heading towards the Buchelay toll booth, on the A13 motorway in Yvelines. Farmers from Seine-Maritime intend to join them on Wednesday.
Same objective for farmers of the Somme who met in Roye, in the east of the department, to head towards the A1 and reach one of the blocking points in Île-de-France.
Farmers from Haute-Saône They hoped to be in Seine-et-Marne around 2 p.m., after leaving around 8 p.m. Monday evening.
Rural coordination 70
Blockages continue throughout France
Blockages continued almost everywhere in the country. In Gironde, farmers met at seven different points. Several modes of action are observed: road blockages, purchasing center blockages and filter dams.
In the Bouches-du-Rhône, several dozen farmers spent the night on the A51, near Aix-en-Provence. The highway is closed to traffic in the area.
In Sarthe, farmers blocked several portions of the A81, A11 and A28 motorways around Le Mans. They planned to stay there for 24 hours.
In Loire-Atlantiquefarmers continued to block the N165 between Nantes and Vannes at Missilac.
The FDSEA 31 and Young Farmers disrupted the surroundings of Toulouse-Blagnac airport. In THE Hauts-de-France, Belgian farmers joined the movement.
New dams have also been put in place in the Marne since 6 a.m. this Tuesday morning.
In Isère, farmers gathered in front of the Saint-Quentin-Fallavier tollbooth. The A48, A480 and A43 motorways are therefore completely or partially blocked in the department. The A43, which connects the north of Isère to Lyon, is usually a busy route. It is also a route where many logistics platforms are located.
Tractors in city centers and punchy actions
Tractors have entered the hearts of several cities, like in Orléans, Laval or Château-Gontier in Mayennewhere state-owned buildings were targetedsurrounded by tires to be “walled in”.
Marcellin Robine
In Orleans150 tractors have invaded the city center and are circulating in front of the cathedral.
Spanish and Italian farmers are mobilizing in turn
This Tuesday, the three main Spanish agricultural unions indicated that they were joining the angry movement of farmers in Europe. They announce a series of “mobilizations“across the country in the “next weeks“.”The agricultural sector in Europe and Spain faces growing frustration and unease due to harsh conditions and stifling bureaucracy generated by EU regulations“, they explained in a press release.
In Italy too, anger is gradually growing. This Tuesday, dozens of transalpine farmers demonstrated with their tractors near Milan. Several mobilizations have already taken place in recent weeks, from Sicily to the north of the country. Even if the scale of the movement has not yet reached the level of that affecting France, Germany or Belgium, road blockages are regularly reported.