Rural Coordination announced the end of its blockade at Bordeaux port after the Prime Minister acknowledged farmers’ concerns about excessive European regulations. Farmers seek the reauthorization of banned neurotoxic insecticides, citing unfair competition with other EU nations. The protests continue as the CR aims to challenge the FNSEA-JA alliance ahead of upcoming professional elections, while Agriculture Minister promises simplification measures. Tensions remain as new protests are planned in the coming week.
The Rural Coordination (CR), the leading union actively engaged in the field, declared on Thursday evening that it would cease its blockade of the Bordeaux commercial port starting Friday morning. This decision comes after the Prime Minister addressed their concerns regarding European regulations.
“We had requested Mr. Barnier to commit to the +overtransposition+ of European rules, and he has openly responded to our requests,” stated José Pérez, co-president of CR47, to AFP. “He acknowledged that farmers are correct; there are too many regulations.”
In his remarks to the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, the head of government noted, “Farmers are justified in asking us to assess each European provision and its relevance here,” emphasizing the need for simplification.
“We are people of our word; we have decided to lift our camp,” Mr. Pérez added, explaining that the Prime Minister’s comments had initially escaped their notice in the heat of the moment.
The Gironde prefecture has indicated that “discussions are ongoing between state services and protesters to resolve this situation as swiftly as possible.”
The blockade at the Bordeaux port, which ranks as the seventh busiest in France for goods traffic, marked the final significant action taken by farmers this week.
Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard also expressed, “What is permissible in Europe should equally be allowed in France; what is banned in Europe must also be prohibited in France,” during her visit to Pas-de-Calais.
Among the farmers’ requests, who resumed protests on Sunday, is the reauthorization of a neurotoxic insecticide (acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid) that is banned in France but remains permitted in other EU countries, particularly sought after by sugar beet and hazelnut producers.
The minister further assured that “announcements regarding simplification will be made in the coming days.”
– Dispersed Order –
Lucie Delbarre, president of the FDSEA of Pas-de-Calais, remarked that this visit is unlikely to alleviate unrest: “We are receiving minor measures, but what we truly desire is to have all our demands met, so we can thrive in our profession without worry.”
In the vicinity of La Couture, where the minister toured a chicory farm, signs were plastered with stickers reading ‘Paraguay,’ ‘Brazil,’ or ‘Argentina,’ referencing the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur nations, which faces opposition from farmers and the French political landscape.
This marked Ms. Genevard’s first field visit since the resurgence of agricultural protests this week, primarily driven by the ‘yellow hats’ of the Rural Coordination.
During the port blockade in Bordeaux, a farmer expressed frustration over the disorganized mobilization: “Colleagues seem resigned; we should all come together [across unions]. It’s a pity. It feels like we need to burn tires for anyone to take notice.”
Port authorities voiced their “incomprehension” regarding the blockade, stating that “Bordeaux is a cereal export port serving the regional agricultural sector,” which “does not import cereals,” countering the claims made by CR47.
– Dwindling Movement Before a Possible Resurgence? –
By Thursday afternoon, authorities reported that 651 farmers and 242 vehicles participated across 13 departments.
Supermarket purchasing centers were once again targeted in Charente, Corrèze, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes, Tarn, and Tarn-et-Garonne.
On Europe1/Cnews, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau reiterated on Thursday that there are “red lines” that must not be crossed: “no entrenchment,” “no blockage.”
In Lille, CR members parked their tractors in front of the Hauts-de-France Regional Council on Thursday afternoon, where a delegation met with the office of its president, Xavier Bertrand.
This new wave of agricultural protests emerges just weeks before professional elections. The CR, currently presiding over three agricultural chambers, aims to challenge the dominance of the FNSEA-JA alliance and secure “15 to 20 additional chambers.”
FNSEA president Arnaud Rousseau announced that upcoming protests led by their members are scheduled for next week, specifically on “Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.”
He is expected to attend the Congress of Vegetable Producers of France in Agen on Friday morning, a historic stronghold of the Rural Coordination.