8,000 Farmers and 1,000 Tractors in the EU quarter (VIDEO). Police use tear gas against Protesters in Brussels
by Gospa News Editorial Staff
Police use tear gas against protesting farmers in Brussels
Police use tear gas against protesting farmers in Brussels — the whole neighborhood is shrouded in the substance.
REN TV correspondent Vitaly Chashchukhin’s footage shows that even such methods do not stop an angry crowd of farmers on tractors. They oppose the EU’s plans to conclude a trade agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc. Farmers fear that the agreements will make it difficult to do business, the Associated Press writes.
“They also oppose the EC’s plans to reform the huge agricultural subsidies of the 27 countries of the bloc, fearing that less money will flow to them,” France 24 clarifies.
Smoke bombs were used on the square in front of the European Parliament, which was engulfed by a wave of protests, car alarms and sirens were heard. A helicopter can be seen over the city.
Belgian police: approximately 8,000 farmers and 1,000 tractors in the EU quarter
Around 8,000 protesters and around 1,000 tractors are reportedly present in Brussels’ European quarter, where the European summit is taking place, to protest EU policies. Belgian police reported this. The demonstration, led by Copa-Cogeca—the union of the two main European agricultural organizations representing farmers’ interests—has just concluded near the Arts-Loi metro station.
The demonstration, which began around 12:00 p.m. on December, 18, 2025 from the Gare du Nord area, also included Coldiretti and Cia-Agricoltori Italiani.
Von der Leyen announces postponement of Mercosur signing until January
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced to EU leaders the postponement of the signing of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement until January.
A diplomatic source reported this on the sidelines of the EU summit, confirming the delay from the initially scheduled date of December 20.
The factsheet – What does the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur entail?
The Mercosur agreement envisions the creation of one of the world’s largest trade zones and aims to eliminate extremely high tariffs, which currently reach up to 35% on cars and machinery, by liberalizing 90% of industrial trade and 93% of agricultural trade over 10 years.
For European businesses, this means annual savings of €4 billion, while for Italy, export growth is estimated at $3.5 billion. However, the Italian agricultural sector fears unfair competition from South American meat and sugar producers, and the French and other European countries are following suit, calling for a postponement of the agreement’s signature and a review of the pact’s safeguard clauses.
