French farmers warn of further protests, as blockades sparks anger in Germany

French farmers held protests on the German and Spanish borders on 27 July 2015 over falling food prices. Blockades were set up which caused hundreds of lorries to be forced to stop.

The action came after a week that saw farmers block cities, roads and tourist sites across France in protest at falling food prices, which they blame on foreign competition, as well as supermarkets and distributors. A combination of factors, including changing dietary habits, slowing Chinese demand and a Russian embargo on Western products over Ukraine, pushed down prices for staples like beef, pork and milk.

Some commentators asked why French agriculture had failed to respond to new competition following EU enlargement to the East in 2004 and 2007.

• Primary Source

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BBC News, 27.07.15: French farmers block border roads in price protest http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33673197

The Guardian, 27.07.15: French farmers blockade border roads in protest against cheap imports http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/27/france-farmers-border-roads-protest-imports-germany-spain

RFI, 28.07.15: French farmers stand their ground with barricades and factory controls http://www.english.rfi.fr/visiting-france/20150728-french-farmers-stand-their-ground-barricades-and-factory-controls

Deutsche Welle, 27.07.15: French farmers block access from Germany and Spain over falling food prices http://dw.com/p/1G51V

Sputnik International, 28.07.15: French Farmers Plan New Protests Amid Country's Agricultural Crisis http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150728/1025126445.html

Euronews, 27.07.15: French farmers block border routes in row over ‘cheap’ imports http://www.euronews.com/2015/07/27/french-farmers-block-border-routes-in-row-over-cheap-imports/

Politico, 28.07.15: Hollande’s nether land http://www.politico.eu/article/hollandes-nether-land/

Euronews, 27.07.15: Who pays the most for their meat in Europe? http://www.euronews.com/2015/07/27/who-pays-the-most-for-their-meat/

Blog: Open Europe, 29.07.15: French farmers’ protest illustrates their declining competitiveness http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/french-farmers-protest-illustrates-their-declining-competitiveness/

The Local.fr, 27.07.15: French farmers block German, Spanish trucks http://www.thelocal.fr/20150727/french-farmers-block-routes-from-spain-germany

Politico, 19.08.15: Europe’s sick farmer http://www.politico.eu/article/france-farmers-protests-hollande-pork-prices/

EurActiv, 26.08.15: EU stockpiling does little to resolve agricultural crisis http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/eu-stockpiling-does-little-resolve-agricultural-crisis-317052

Le Monde, 03.09.15: Europe needs an agricultural turnaround (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE169209-Europe-needs-an-agricultural-turnaround

The Local.fr, 03.09.15: French farmers' tractor protest rolls into Paris http://www.thelocal.fr/20150903/french-farmers-bring-tractor-protest-to-paris

France24, 03.09.15: France offers new farm aid as 1,500 tractors hit Paris streets http://www.france24.com/en/20150903-france-offers-new-farm-aid-1500-tractors-hit-paris-streets

EurActiv, 11.09.15: Milk crisis drives wedge between France and Germany http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/milk-crisis-drives-wedge-between-france-and-germany-317578

EurActiv, 03.02.16: French pork farmers accuse Germany of VAT fraud http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/french-pork-farmers-accuse-germany-vat-fraud-321549

EurActiv, 10.02.16: Paris ups anti-Brussels rhetoric over farming row http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/paris-ups-anti-brussels-rhetoric-over-farming-row-321725

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