Protesting farmers blocked roads across France on Tuesday and there was one fatal accident, as their unions urged the government to ease its drive for lower consumer prices and reduce environmental regulations.
One dead, two injured as French farmer protests spread
Farmers union says road blocks won't be lifted until government action on economic, regulatory concerns
France could face nationwide farmer protests as anger mounts
Farmers cite fuel taxes, excessive restrictions and red tape among grievances
France's largest farm union FNSEA is considering nationwide protests in the coming weeks, a spokesperson said on Friday, potentially expanding action by farmers in the southwest who have blocked a highway and dumped manure on public buildings.
Fears of a trade blunder Down Under
Farm groups call on Australia not to sign ‘dud’ trade pact with EU
Reading Time: 2 minutes Australian farm industry groups have called on the government to not sign a trade deal with the European Union unless it offers much greater market access for Australian agricultural products. Australia, one of the world’s biggest exporters of farm goods from wheat and beef to wool and wine, has been negotiating a trade deal with […] Read more
EU countries fail to agree on extending glyphosate approval
Current approval expires Dec. 15
Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments failed on Friday to give a decisive opinion on a proposal to extend by 10 years EU approval for the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup herbicide. A “qualified majority” of 15 countries representing at least 65 per cent of the bloc’s population had been […] Read more
Romania, Ukraine to work on grain import-export licensing system
Three other EU countries have bans in place
Bucharest | Reuters — Romania will work with Ukraine over the next 30 days on a grain export control plan that will help protect Romanian farmers, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday. Romania is among five eastern European Union countries along with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia that saw a surge of Ukrainian grain […] Read more
Kyiv acts on ‘compromise’ plan after filing WTO complaint over food ban
Three EU countries have restricted Ukraine grain imports
Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine appealed to three neighbouring countries in the European Union on Tuesday to embark on “constructive dialogue” to end a dispute over agricultural trade, and approved what it called a “compromise scenario.” Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced restrictions on imports from Ukraine on Friday after the European Commission decided not to […] Read more
Farm trade dispute creates rift between Ukraine and its allies
Ukraine sues three EU member states at WTO
Brussels/Kyiv | Reuters — A dispute over agricultural trade created a rift on Monday between Ukraine and some of its strongest allies in the European Union after three member states imposed unilateral measures to restrict imports from the war-torn country. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced restrictions on imports on Friday after the European Commission decided […] Read more
Poland, Hungary, Slovakia to continue own bans on Ukraine grain
European Commission decides not to extend ban
Brussels/Warsaw | Reuters — Poland, Slovakia and Hungary will impose their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports, the governments said on Friday, after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban affecting Ukraine’s five EU neighbours. Restrictions imposed by the European Union in May allowed Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to ban domestic […] Read more
EU ag commissioner pushes for extension of Ukraine grain import ban
Restrictions due to expire Friday
Brussels/Bucharest | Reuters — The EU agriculture commissioner said on Tuesday said he believes the European Commission should extend a temporary ban on Ukraine imports into five neighouring EU states, as the measure helped boost exports outside the bloc. Ukraine has become entirely dependent on alternative European Union routes, called Solidarity Lanes, for its grain […] Read more
Law to boost soil health back on EU agenda
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters – The European Commission has proposed what would be the EU’s first law to improve soil health. The proposal, made July 5 as the EU faces a political backlash against other green policies, follows an initial attempt by the Commission to introduce soil health legislation in 2006, which a minority of countries, including Germany […] Read more