More than 2,000 agricultural trucks are expected to descend on the Italian capital by the end of this week to protest the lack of controls on imports from outside the EU.
advertisementFarmers from several regions of Italy have traveled to Rome to demand restrictions on imports from outside the European Union, as Italian farmers join those in European countries to protest against policies across Europe and at home.
Dozens of tractors have already assembled on the outskirts of Rome, waiting for other farmers to join them. They say it’s worth getting the government’s attention, with some traveling for up to 10 hours to reach their destinations.
“They never listened to us,” Italian farmer Davide Guarguarini told Euronews.
“I can’t go home empty-handed. I have to accomplish something.”
More than 2,000 trucks are expected to arrive in the Italian capital by the end of the week.
Italian farmers claim they are losing profits due to an ever-increasing number of cheaper imports from countries outside the EU. They are also protesting the impact of EU climate change policy on the sector.
Maurizio Senigaliesi, an Italian farmer, told Euronews: “Profits have fallen by 70% over the past year due to increased technical measures and machinery-related expenses.”
“We continue to lose money, so we have to take action and make our voices heard, or we may have to shut down the entire industry.”