French farmers wall off public buildings in protest over regulations

PARIS: French farmers blocked off entrances to two public buildings in Paris on Thursday in protest at “constraints” imposed by regulatory agencies, which they say result in lost production.

Around 100 farmers erected a cardboard wall in front of France’s food safety agency ANSES, south of Paris, after placing breeze blocks barring the way into INRAE, the country’s agricultural research institute in the capital.

This follows demonstrations on Tuesday against a planned free trade deal between the European Union and South America’s Mercosur bloc, which France opposes over concerns it would hurt its domestic agricultural industry.

Farmers fear any agreement would open EU markets to cheaper meat and produce from South American competitors, who are not forced to adhere to strict EU rules on pesticides, hormones, land use and environmental measures.

Thursday’s protesters -- led by the heavyweight FNSEA farmers’ union -- say they are also feeling the sting of restrictions imposed by France’s regulatory agencies on products like insecticides.