French blockades continue despite farming unions' call for halt
Two of France's biggest farming unions on Thursday called for a halt to the highly disruptive roadblock protests, with motorways around the capital open again as of Friday afternoon. However, smaller unions have vowed to continue with blockades on roads and at supermarket distribution centres.
The largest farming union, the FNSEA, and its ally the Jeune Agriculteurs union on Thursday called on members to end their protests, saying that the government "had listened" after a second package of financial aid was announced by prime minister Gabriel Attal.
Speaking to RTL, Arnaud Gaillot, head of the Young Farmers (JA) union, pointed to a sense of "fatigue" after days of protests and a "desire to put things on hold."
By Friday afternoon, all of the major autoroutes around the capital were open again.
However, a police source told AFP however that some protesters wanted to stay put until Saturday, while several "isolated groups" sought to remain in place until France's huge Salon de l'Agriculture trade fair that opens on February 24.
"We haven't got what we're fighting for," farmer Isabelle Douillon told AFP, referring to better pay.
A new roadblock was also set up on Friday morning at a tollgate near the city of Saint-Quentin in northern France, according to one activist, Bruno Cardot, who called the action the farmers' "last stand."
The FNSEA, France's biggest rural union, wants to see the first government measures implemented by the start of the trade fair and a law passed by June, its head Arnaud Rousseau said on BFMTV.
Another major union, the Farmers' Confederation (Confederation Paysanne), said it would remain mobilised because "the fundamental question of income" was "still not being tackled head-on by the government".
French President Emmanuel Macron said after talks in Brussels Thursday with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen that France had managed to persuade the EU to "impose stricter rules" for cereal and poultry imports, including from war-torn Ukraine.
In a key announcement designed to break the deadlock, the government announced on Thursday France would pause its Ecophyto programme aimed at reducing the use of pesticides in farming.
Environmental groups slammed the move but government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot sought to defend the decision, saying environmental policies should be based "on concrete realities".
This was the situation on French roads as of Friday afternoon;
Paris
The 'siege of Paris' has been lifted. Previously, there were blockades on all eight of the major autoroutes leading into the capital, but they were dismantled on Friday afternoon, according to reporting by Franceinfo.
A1 and A16
Farmers in northern France indicated plans to lift roadblocks on the A1 and A16 from around 11am. By Friday afternoon, local authorities had announced that the A16 was entirely open again.
A51 Marseille
The A51 remained blocked as of Friday morning by members of Coordination Rurale, who have vowed to continue their actions.
A43 Lyon
The A43 péage at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, close to Lyon, remained blocked and farmers said they intended to remain there until Monday, February 5th.
Supermarkets
Farmers in Loire-Atlantique were still blockading a distribution centre that supplies stores including supermarket giant Leclerc, as a result there may be shortages of some fresh products in stores.
The Conféderation paysanne union also called a blockade of the Leclerc distribution centre in Ruffec, Charente, which could potentially affect stores in the south-west area.
A20 Occitanie
Blockades remained on the A20, but were expected to be lifted in the early afternoon of Friday.
A62 Agen-Montauban
The A62 between Agen and Montauban in south-west France, site of one of the first blockades, has now reopened, according to the préfecture.
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The largest farming union, the FNSEA, and its ally the Jeune Agriculteurs union on Thursday called on members to end their protests, saying that the government "had listened" after a second package of financial aid was announced by prime minister Gabriel Attal.
Speaking to RTL, Arnaud Gaillot, head of the Young Farmers (JA) union, pointed to a sense of "fatigue" after days of protests and a "desire to put things on hold."
By Friday afternoon, all of the major autoroutes around the capital were open again.
However, a police source told AFP however that some protesters wanted to stay put until Saturday, while several "isolated groups" sought to remain in place until France's huge Salon de l'Agriculture trade fair that opens on February 24.
"We haven't got what we're fighting for," farmer Isabelle Douillon told AFP, referring to better pay.
A new roadblock was also set up on Friday morning at a tollgate near the city of Saint-Quentin in northern France, according to one activist, Bruno Cardot, who called the action the farmers' "last stand."
The FNSEA, France's biggest rural union, wants to see the first government measures implemented by the start of the trade fair and a law passed by June, its head Arnaud Rousseau said on BFMTV.
Another major union, the Farmers' Confederation (Confederation Paysanne), said it would remain mobilised because "the fundamental question of income" was "still not being tackled head-on by the government".
French President Emmanuel Macron said after talks in Brussels Thursday with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen that France had managed to persuade the EU to "impose stricter rules" for cereal and poultry imports, including from war-torn Ukraine.
In a key announcement designed to break the deadlock, the government announced on Thursday France would pause its Ecophyto programme aimed at reducing the use of pesticides in farming.
Environmental groups slammed the move but government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot sought to defend the decision, saying environmental policies should be based "on concrete realities".
This was the situation on French roads as of Friday afternoon;
Paris
The 'siege of Paris' has been lifted. Previously, there were blockades on all eight of the major autoroutes leading into the capital, but they were dismantled on Friday afternoon, according to reporting by Franceinfo.
A1 and A16
Farmers in northern France indicated plans to lift roadblocks on the A1 and A16 from around 11am. By Friday afternoon, local authorities had announced that the A16 was entirely open again.
A51 Marseille
The A51 remained blocked as of Friday morning by members of Coordination Rurale, who have vowed to continue their actions.
A43 Lyon
The A43 péage at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, close to Lyon, remained blocked and farmers said they intended to remain there until Monday, February 5th.
Supermarkets
Farmers in Loire-Atlantique were still blockading a distribution centre that supplies stores including supermarket giant Leclerc, as a result there may be shortages of some fresh products in stores.
The Conféderation paysanne union also called a blockade of the Leclerc distribution centre in Ruffec, Charente, which could potentially affect stores in the south-west area.
A20 Occitanie
Blockades remained on the A20, but were expected to be lifted in the early afternoon of Friday.
A62 Agen-Montauban
The A62 between Agen and Montauban in south-west France, site of one of the first blockades, has now reopened, according to the préfecture.
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