French farmers’ protests halt Spanish goods transport and distribution
Trade relations between Spain and France have deteriorated due to protests by French farmers, resulting in several riots and even road blockades in recent days. Companies are bearing the brunt of this and so are drivers, who are already fearing for their physical integrity as protests escalate. To avoid great evils, the transportation and distribution of goods by road demands the intervention of the Spanish government so that the French Executive guarantees the safety of workers as well as commercial operations.
This request was transferred this Wednesday by letter to the Minister of Transport, Oscar Puente, with the Association of International Road Transport (ASTIC) and the Association of Shippers of Spain (ACE) as senders. Both employer associations demand that, through the respective diplomatic channels, “urge the French authorities to adopt relevant effective measures to minimize the negative effects of these mobilizations on international transport and to guarantee the safety of drivers and the integrity of commercial operations” Go.”
«Given the close cooperation and importance of bilateral relations between France and Spain, we request the intervention of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to convey this concern to his French counterpart. It is essential that the French authorities implement the necessary control and security means to guarantee that social mobility does not have a harmful effect on the normal flow of transport and the operations of companies,” Ramon Valdivia, Executive Vice President of Aestiq, said in a statement this Wednesday. Said in the statement.
The protests began a week ago with slow marches and the blocking of several roads in the Toulouse region, whose traffic has been disrupted since last Thursday, and have spread to other parts of the French country. Last Monday they blocked the A-9 highway south of Perpignan, which leads to the border with Spain.
It added that a section of the Bordeaux ring road was temporarily blocked by tractors, forcing French authorities to make several detours for road traffic.
Ukrainian imports as a factor
French farmers support these mobilizations due to rising energy costs in the context of inflation, declining incomes, French administrative procedures seen as burdensome, and European regulations on environmental matters and pesticide use, AFP reports . For the same reason, competition from Ukrainian imports has also lit the fuse, as well as trade agreements such as those negotiated between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur.
“We understand and respect the right of citizens to express their opinions and demonstrate peacefully.” However, the continuity and intensity of road closures in French territory is having a significant impact on the transport and operations of Spanish companies. “This not only causes delays and economic losses, but also jeopardizes the safety of our drivers and the integrity of our operations,” ACE Secretary General Nuria Lacassi said on Wednesday.
The economic damage caused during the wave of protests is substantial. France is our first trading partner in the world and also the first destination of Spanish exports traveling by road. Specifically, 41.5% of the goods sent abroad through this medium from Spain in 2021 ended up in the French country. According to Astic, about 10,000 Spanish trucks cross the French border every day.
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