Farmers on the streets in Brussels: no to 20% cut in EU funds

European farmers have spoken out against the 20% cut in agricultural funding announced by the European Commission for the 2028-2034 budget. Coordinated by Copa-Cogeca, which brings together all the main agricultural associations of the 27, more than 500 took to the streets in Brussels yesterday to protest against the EU's choices.

Starting from Place du Luxembourg, the square next to the European Parliament building, the farmers marched all the way down to the Commission building, where they symbolically piled up in a huge heap dozens of rubber boots of the kind used in the fields, demonstrating the impossibility of continuing production in the face of the announced cuts. Some 20 agricultural associations took part in the march, which had been organised for days. The largest delegations were from France, Poland, Spain, Portugal and Hungary, as well as Italy. In the afternoon, the presidium was also joined by some fifty MEPs, from various sides and different nationalities.

Unlike a year and a half ago, when Brussels was literally put to the sword by tractors protesting against the Green deal of the first Von der Leyen presidency, yesterday's march was peaceful in manner. But the words of the farmers were harsh. The president of Copa Cogeca (and also of the Italian Confagricoltura), Massimiliano Giansanti, who was present in the square yesterday, did not hesitate to define the Commission's proposal 'a real declaration of war' against the farming world.

Farmers are primarily contesting the sum, 300 billion compared to 386 billion for the period 2021-2027, a 20 per cent drop in the sums available for so-called direct payments. In addition to the decrease in Common Agricultural Policy funds, the proposal approved yesterday by the EU Commission also stipulates the amalgamation of rural development resources into a single fund, which - farmers say - will pit sectors and member states against each other.

The attack on the president of the Commission is frontal: 'We do not agree at all with Ursula von der Leyen,' said Giansanti, 'her words uttered during the election campaign clash with what she says today. Agriculture has been the basis of Europe for over 60 years: today von der Leyen is dismantling it for a few more weapons. The president is taking an incredible responsibility'. Yesterday's march is therefore only the beginning, European farmers promise a long season of mobilisation: 'In the square in Brussels we were far more than expected,' added Giansanti, 'we are sure that in September we will be many more.