Protesting EU farmers win delay in rules forcing land to be set aside for biodiversity

Farmers protesting across Europe have won their first concession from Brussels, with the EU announcing a delay in rules that would have forced them to set aside land to encourage biodiversity and soil health.

- Lisa O’Carroll

About 10,000 French farmers stepped up their protests yesterday with at least 100 blockades on major roads across France, and 18 were arrested for blocking traffic as they tried to reach the wholesale food market at Rungis, south-east of Paris. A further 79 were arrested yesterday evening after entering the market.

Belgian farmers joined protests at the French border and others blocked access roads to the Zeebrugge container port for a second day. Spanish and Italian farmers also demonstrated.

The European Commission vicepresident Maroš Šefčovič described.

yesterday's decision to delay rules on setting aside land, which is expected to be rubber-stamped by member states within 15 days, as "a helping hand" for the sector at a difficult time.

Citing flooding, wildfires in Greece, heatwaves across southern Europe and drought in Spain that has left reservoirs in Andalucia at 20% of normal levels, he said it was important to listen to farmers and "to avoid the polarisation which is making any good conversation and discussion more difficult".