Brussels police are expecting traffic disruption throughout the capital on Wednesday, as protesting farmers will be returning to the city's streets.

    The Walloon farmer's federation FUGEA is leading the protest to denounce a proposed trade deal between the EU and Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).

    The agreement, which could be finalised during the G20 summit in Brazil on 18 and 19 November, will remove tariffs on most products between the two regions.

    FUGEA farmers, as well as other European farmers and members of European farming collective ECVC, will be meeting at the crossroads of Rue de la Loi and Rue des Taciturnes at 11:00 on Wednesday.

    Several dozen tractors are expected at the protest, which will begin with speeches by representatives of FUGEA and ECVC, as well as supportive MEPs.

1.     Traffic disruptions

    Brussels Capital/Ixelles police have noted that the farmers' demonstration will result in "traffic problems throughout the Brussels Region."

    From 05:00 onwards, Rue de la Loi will be closed between Schuman and the R20, and the Reyers tunnel from the E40 towards the city centre will also be shut. The streets around Rue de la Loi and the European Quarter "may also experience traffic disruption", police say, which could persist until the late afternoon.

    Disruptions are expected from early in the morning, as the majority of those taking part in the demonstration will be travelling "from dawn" via various access routes to the city centre. The police have therefore advised road users to consider alternative modes of transport, such as the metro and train.

    Brussels Mobility has said it is expecting a "small-scale demonstration", with tractors expected to start arriving into the city centre from 09:30. The regional agency said that in the event of any disruption in the European Quarter, it is "prepared to close certain tunnels".

1.     Echoing previous protests

    The protest follows several others by farmers earlier this year in Brussels. The demonstrations denounced the EU-Mercosur deal and expressed a general frustration with strict European environmental rules and the shrinking incomes of those working in the agricultural sector.

    The protests caused major disruption, bringing the Belgian capital to a halt and sparking violent clashes with police.

    Farmers in the EU are concerned about more agricultural products being imported from Mercosur to the EU, particularly beef. They fear that cheap products – which are not subject to the same requirements as those imposed on European producers – will flood the European market and create unfair competition.

    Last week, FUGEA called on Walloon Agriculture Minister Anne-Catherine Dalcq and Federal Agriculture Minister David Clarinval to publicly oppose the agreement.