Update: 14.02.2024

Operations at the Port of Antwerp were disrupted again this week after hundreds of farmers blocked the roads around the port.

Farmers parked their vehicles near the entrance and halted the delivery and pick-up of goods to and from the port.

Speaking to Reuters, Stephan Van Fraechem, the director of the association of port companies Alfaport VOKA, said, "Operations are heavily disrupted."

"No freight can be delivered or picked up, as trucks are halted, while employees are only being allowed in after a long wait."

The protests in Belgium are part of a larger industrial action across multiple European countries.

Last week in the United Kingdom, farmers blocked roads leading to the ferry Port of Denver. They also staged a slow tractor protest in the city.

A similar action occurred in Kent, where 40 tractors blocked roads around the city's port. According to the local newspaper, The Guardian, the farmers are set to meet again to discuss further protests.

Across the continent in Greece, the government met with agricultural sector representatives and proposed measures to meet the farmers' demands.

The farmers, protesting high fuel prices among other things, were promised "a one-year extension of a tax rebate for agricultural diesel by the end of 2024 and discounts on their power bills," reports Reuters.

Polish farmers block border crossings with Ukraine

Protests and border blockades at Poland-Ukraine border crossings went ahead last week, and farmers plan to keep protesting until 10 March.

The nationwide strike started by farmers denounced the suspension of import quotas and duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU.

According to Crisis24, several border crossings will be impacted by the campaign, including:

• Korczowa-Krakovets
• Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska
• Dorohusk-Yahodyn
• Medyka-Shehyni
• Zosin-Ustyluh
• Dolhobyczow-Uhryniv

Meanwhile, the news talks of possible negotiations to take place this week between the Polish government and the farmers.

Original article: 05.02.2024

The farmers' protests continued in Germany over the weekend, this time targeting Frankfurt Airport and press distribution centres in Hamburg.

Local news Morgen Post reported that nearly 70 demonstrators blocked the entrance of a Hamburg newspaper distributor on Saturday with semi-trailers, tractors and vans.

The aim was to block the distribution of newspapers in protest against what they claim as "false reporting."

A spokesperson representing the protesters complained about "incorrect reporting by the press about the crisis situation in Germany," as cited by the Morgen Post.

The police intervened to break up the protest and clear road access.

Also, on Saturday, a group of farmers demonstrated on roads around Frankfurt Airport.

German news channel ZDF reported that about 400 tractors were on site and managed to block the roads around the airport.

Farmers' demonstrations cleared in the Netherlands

Police intervention was also required in the Netherlands after farmers used dozens of tractors to block a Dutch-Belgian border crossing.

The Dutch police acted to stop the demonstrators who blocked traffic in several areas in the country and set fire along roads, reported Reuters yesterday.

Like their European counterparts, farmers are denouncing the European Union's environmental regulations, low prices for their produce, increasing costs, and cheap imports.

More protests in Italy, Spain and Poland

In Italy, convoys of tractors moved towards Rome yesterday, while others marched in Milan. In addition, farmers from Tuscany moved towards the capital, intending to group and stage more demonstrations in Rome this week.

Similarly, in Spain, three of the largest agricultural organizations plan to continue their movement until late February, reports Crisis24. The protests have so far included blocking major routes and slow-moving convoys of vehicles in Barcelona and Catalonia.

Starting on 7 February, farmers intend to escalate their campaign with more protests planned until late February as follows:

• 8 February: Avila, Salamanca, and Ciudad Real
• 9 February: Zamora and Benevente
• 12 February: Alicante and Salamanca
• 13 February: Rioja and Zaragoza
• 14 February: Jaen, Palencia, Soria, Burgos, Toledo, Cuenca, Seville, and Guadalajara
• 15 February: Castellon
• 16 February: Cantabria
• 21 February: Murcia and Algeciras
• 22 February: Valencia and Cadiz
• 23 February: Leon
• 27 February: Cordoba

On a larger scale, unionised farmers in Poland plan to start a month-long protest and strike nationwide and resume border blockades at border crossings with Ukraine.

According to Crisis24, the protests will start at 10:00 am on 9 February and continue until 10 March.

The aim is to object to the European Commission's proposal to prolong the suspension of import quotas and tariffs on Ukrainian exports to the EU for an additional year.

The border crossing points likely most affected by the blockade will be Korczowa-Krakovets, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, Dorohusk-Yahodyn, and Medyka-Shehyni, says Crisis24.