More than 2,500 farmers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain took over the streets of Brussels yesterday. The farmers gathered in the European capital, with 800 tractors, to protest against milk quotas and prices which they claim are well below production costs.
Blocking the traffic and spraying the European Parliament with milk using fire hoses, it was hard to miss them. Find some amazing images here: http://galeries.lalibre.be/album/belgique/manfagriculteurs/32.jpg/
The spraying of milk was symbolic. According to the website of the European Milk Board, organisers of the event, ‘The current overproduction sets European milk markets on fire and the European Institutions have to take appropriate measures in order to distinguish it… With these actions dairy farmers aim at calling the attention to their dramatic situation’.
The two day protest is set to continue today. European Milk Board President, Romuald Schaber said:
“The fact that so many colleagues from all over Europe came to demonstrate shows how important the future of rural agriculture serving society’s needs is for them. This future can only be secured thanks to a flexible supply management through a European Monitoring Agency”
According to their press release, the aim of the protest was to call on decision-makers to take responsibility and decide on efficient rules for the market, with clear and adequate measures to be taken in the framework of the reform of the EU’s Common organisation of agricultural markets.
Related news:
- 15.000 litres de lait sur la façade d’un bâtiment de l’UE
- Dairy farmers’ protest blocks EU quarter
- EMB press release
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