European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke on Thursday in favor of addressing the escalating farmer protests over subsidy cuts in an important election year for the bloc, Bloomberg reports.
The official acknowledged that everyone is facing a "sense of urgency" and asserted that things should improve. Her comments were an attempt to appease the farmers caught up in a web of erratic regulations that have left them bankrupt; however, how such stopgap intervention could quell the farmer unrest remains to be seen.
Farmers are seeking increased financial support to counterbalance the expenses incurred due to European Union environmental regulations and a reduction in daily operational regulations. The EU aims to cut pesticide usage by 50% by 2030 and implement a ban on plant protection products, potentially leading to a decline in yields ranging from 20- 40%. Additionally, farmers are grappling with the effects of inflation on energy and fuel costs, coupled with competition from more affordable imports.
“What makes us angry is that we shouldn’t be importing the food products we don’t want to produce at home,” a French farmer, whose first name is Sylvie, told BFM TV.
Romanian farmers staged protests on January 15, 2024, near their border with Ukraine, emphasizing their need for increased public support.
Farmer demonstrations are ongoing in Germany due to the government's move to remove a tax break on agricultural diesel. The decision officially aims to balance the 2024 budget, prompted by a constitutional court ruling in November that compelled a revision of spending plans.
Polish farmers intend to stage road blockades at around 250 locations in objection to EU initiatives aiming to limit carbon emissions. Protesters are also demonstrating against unregulated food imports from Ukraine, which have inundated local markets, causing price drops and adversely affecting their livelihoods.
Last year, relations between Warsaw and Kiev deteriorated as the former Polish administration imposed restrictions on grain imports from Ukraine, a move that was prompted by farmer protests mere months before the October 15, 2023, parliamentary election.
European leaders attribute the decision to cut subsidies for farmers to a lack of funds. However, it doesn't stop EU member states from allocating substantial funds — tens of billions of euros — for the Kiev regime. After Hungary vetoed the latest €50 billion package, EU officials are contemplating a new strategy to direct €22 billion in military aid to Ukraine.