BELGIUM SAYS EU LEADERS SHOULD DISCUSS FARMERS’ CONCERNS – Farmers are protesting against policies that could lead to food scarcity
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said farmers’ grievances are legitimate and should be discussed on Thursday as farmers pressed leaders arriving for a European Union summit to do more to help them deal with taxes, rising costs and cheap imports.
He said he welcomed news the European Commission was set to propose an exemption on Thursday on rules requiring farmers to leave part of their land fallow if they apply for EU subsidies.
The rules on fallow land and the Climate Change policies were part of the grievances that have led to protests by angry farmers in France, Belgium and elsewhere in recent weeks.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar echoed French President Emmanuel Macron’s opposition to signing a trade deal with the Mercosur group of South American countries in its current form, another key demand for farmers.