Polish farmers close the border crossing into Germany

Farmers in Poland protest EU environmental regulations and close border crossings.

Polish farmers began closing a major border crossing into Germany on Sunday. With their action in Slobice they said they wanted to protest EU environmental regulations. A blockade at the border near Frankfurt an der Oder brought the highways – the A12 on the German side and the A2 on the Polish side – to a standstill. This line connects Berlin with Warsaw and is usually used by many trucks, among other things.

A Polish police spokeswoman said: “The blockade began as planned at one o’clock in the afternoon, and both lanes of the A2 motorway were closed.” The farmers originally wanted the border crossing closed for 25 days. After discussions with residents and local businesses, they abandoned this long-term project. Dariush Froebel, one of the protest organizers, said the blockade “will likely be lifted again on Monday.”

Polish farmers view current EU environmental regulations as “unacceptable”. With the blockade, they are also protesting against the import of agricultural products from third countries that do not meet EU requirements.

Farmers across Europe have been protesting for weeks against EU environmental regulations and to protect against competition from third countries. On Monday, EU agriculture ministers will discuss the demands in Brussels.