Farmers plan more motorway blockades, claims French protest leader

Farmers across Europe may ‘paralyse’ the continent in November, according to a leading farmer in south-west France. 

It may see motorway blockades spring up once more, disrupting driver and freight transport, not just within France but at key border crossings, said Jérôme Bayle, a leading figure in the farmer’s protest movement who came to prominence in this January’s protests.

“We [farmers] have an appointment with the European Commission, in Brussels, in the first week of November,” said Mr Bayle to Actu.

Depending on how the talks go, agriculturalists could take “major action” in protest.

The main demands from farmers are the standardisation of agricultural rules across the bloc, and a set price for the specific diesel used to power tractors, to put an end to ‘distorted competition’.

Farmers used their tractors and hastily constructed barriers to blockade roads throughout France at the beginning of the year, paralysing the country in a protest against bans on pesticides and delays in government subsidies. 

How disruptive could protests be?

Farmers in France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, and elsewhere are all primed to cause havoc, if they feel unsatisfied after meeting with the EU Commission.

Alongside internal blockades within these countries, a shutdown of borders by farmers and truckers, effectively preventing freight traffic between EU countries, is likely.

“Spanish truckers want to join [French farmers in protesting]. And Spanish road freight transit is one of the biggest in Europe,” said Mr Bayle.

French farmers in the south-west could play a pivotal role in the demonstrations, by blocking the entry of goods to the bloc through the main road axes between France and Spain, including through the Pyrénées.

This June, French and Spanish farmers combined to blockade border crossings between the two countries for 24 hours – although barriers may be in place for far longer in November if protests go ahead. 

Read more: Angry French and Spanish farmers block motorway in 24-hour action

What do farmers want? 

Protests by farmers in France reached a fever point earlier this year, but generally in Europe farmers are some of the most militant and stubborn when protesting, and action could last for weeks. 

Around 15,000 extra police were deployed around Paris earlier this year when French farmers descended upon the city with their tractors.

In the Netherlands, the Farmers-Citizen Movement party (BoerBurgerBeweging, or BBB) won local elections in 2023 after years of on and off protests in the country over agrarian policies.

Farmers are hopeful, however, that they will not need to cause major disruption to achieve their aims. 

Groups laid out their key aims during an initial meeting in June, giving the EU Commission five months to formulate a plan.

“We were clear in our demands. Now we'll see if they've worked on them,” said Mr Bayle.