Farmers strive to influence both the internal politics of countries and decision-making in the EU.
No farmers, not food.
Messages like the one affixed to the front of a tractor in Brussels on Thursday have been seen at an accelerating pace across Europe in recent weeks.
What are farmers' tractor protests about?
Why are farmers protesting?
There are many reasons for farmers' protests: tightening taxation, rising costs, competition distorted by cheap imports from outside the European Union, and regulation related to the green transition.
Expressions of opinion have been seen across Europe under the publication of the EU's new climate goals. On Tuesday, the EU Commission will publish a presentation on the EU's climate goals for 2040.
At the EU level, farmers are also frustrated by large amounts of imports from Ukraine. The EU facilitated imports from Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
Greek farmers gathered with their tractors for a demonstration on Friday, February 2.
Farmers are also protesting the countries' internal politics. In France, for example, farmers have opposed the government's plan to reduce agricultural subsidies, which has since been canceled.
In both Germany and Greece, farmers have protested the removal of the tax deduction for agricultural diesel. The German Bundestag decided on Friday that the tax deduction for agricultural diesel will be removed. However, the states can still block the decision. Greece, on the other hand, announced that it will extend the tax relief for another year, reports Reuters.
In Brussels, farmers wanted the attention of EU leaders gathered for the EU summit. Leaders of farmers' unions said Thursday, after the protest ended, that policymakers had listened to what farmers had to say, according to Reuters.
“For farmers outside. We see you and we hear you”, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said according to Reuters.
Where is the mind shown everywhere?
Farmers have protested in recent weeks across Europe, at least in Germany, France, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Holland, Belgium and Italy. In Spain, farmers announced this week that they would participate in demonstrations.
Tractor protests have blocked city centers and main thoroughfares. On Thursday, fireworks went off in Brussels and eggs flew towards the EU Parliament.
Smoke billowed into the air as wooden structures were burned at a farmer's protest in Brussels on Thursday, February 1.
Will we see protests in Finland too?
Tractor protests have so far not been seen in the Nordic countries. Chairman of MTK, the confederation of agricultural and forestry producers Juha Marttilan according to the situation may change during the end of winter. “You can clearly see that the pressure is increasing,” says Marttila.
According to Marttila, the impoverished economic situation of farms, the pressure of bureaucracy and the failure of the green transition also burden Finnish farmers.
Marttila estimates that what currently separates Finland from those European countries where protests have been seen is that there is trust in the country's government and politics.
According to him, it is the lack of trust in one's own government that has triggered protests in Europe.
“We're pretty much on a knife's edge, because that limit is crossed here too.”
Marttila says that the near future is sensitive. Honeymoon Petteri Orpon (co.) with the government is over, and awareness of farmers' problems is no longer enough. Now, according to Marttila, means are needed.
According to Marttila, it's about whether the farmers can be convinced that solutions will be found. “If you can't present them credibly during the end of winter, then things will start to happen, that's for sure.”
Spanish farmers drive their tractors in the town of Léon on February 1.
In Italy, farmers drove their tractors to the center of Milan on February 1st.
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