8 farmers from farms just outside the Flemish Brabant city of Leuven are driving their tractors to Strasbourg where they will join their French colleagues in a protest outside the European Parliament. The protest is against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. The Flemish Brabant farmers left for Strasbourg at the crack of dawn on Monday. They have plenty of provisions with them for what will be something of an adventure. They have even taken a toilet with them.
Farmers drive their tractors to Strasbourg to protest against EU- Mercosur trade deal
Published:
Representatives of the famers’ federation Boerenbond were at hand with croissants and pastries when the farmers set off from the Bodard car park on the edge of Leuven on Monday morning. The 8 tractors will cover 430 kilometres before they reach Strassbourg.
Pieter Stessel from the ’t Waterbos farm in Herent, near Leuven told VRT News that “We aren’t allowed to use the motorway. We will first head for Namur and will enter France via Luxembourg. This evening we will lodge 50km from Strassbourg so that we won’t have to drive much further to the demonstration”.
The Flemish Brabant farmers want to send out a clear signal that the free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries constitutes unfair competition for Europe’s farmers. Wouter Saelens of the Hoeve Ten Halve farm says that he and the other farmers are protesting against red tape.
In addition to the 8 farmers that are driving their tractors to Strasbourg, around 100 Flemish farmers are going there on coaches that have been provided by the Boerenbond.
The farmers say that they have enough fuel to get them to Strasbourg. They even have a toilet with them in case someone needs to spend a penny.