French and Spanish farmers block the France-Spain border

Farmer protests continue across Europe. With days to go before the European Parliament elections to be held between June 6 and 9, Spanish and French farmers protested against unfair competition from outside the EU.

Farmers blocked the AP-8 motorway in the Basque region and the AP-7 motorway in Spain's Catalonia region, which form the border between France and Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains, with tractors.

The farmers, who obstructed traffic with their tractors, emphasized that the purpose of these actions was to spur politicians into action before the elections.

Stating that they have been forgotten by politicians, the farmers noted that they are curious to see whether politicians will take them seriously and listen to their demands as the European Parliament elections approach. The farmers emphasized that agriculture in France is in a difficult situation and has been neglected for approximately 20 years.

Earlier this year, farmers held protests in EU countries by blocking roads for weeks.

Farmers had stated that they were facing rising costs and taxes, bureaucratic procedures, excessive environmental regulations, and unfair competition caused by cheap food imports.

The farmers' weeks-long protests forced the EU to extend subsidies provided to support the agricultural sector by six months in May, and some parts of the EU's Green Deal environmental policies were softened, with the target of reducing agricultural emissions removed from the 2040 climate roadmap.

News Source: İHA