Farmers in Germany decry plans to scrap diesel tax breaks

euronews (in English)

Euronews correspondent Liv Stroud heads to the German capital to speak with farmers protesting against the Bundestag's plan to do away with subsidies on diesel.

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00:0010,000 farmers gathered in the heart of Berlin to protest against the German government's

00:04plan to cut agricultural diesel subsidies. Although the government backtracked and promised

00:09to reduce these subsidies over the next two years before ending them in 2026, farmers

00:14say this is not enough.

00:16In principle, you can assume that we farmers would like to work completely without subsidies.

00:22Everyone would like to be paid fairly for the product he produces and, let's say,

00:30have the opportunity to live well from the earnings. But now it is the case that we in Germany

00:36have been fulfilling environmental commitments for many years or taking measures to protect

00:43the environment.

00:52The German Farmers Association said the end of these subsidies could spell the end for

00:57agriculture in Germany.

01:12Experts argue that focusing more on the European market rather than global competition would

01:33benefit everyone, especially the farmers.

01:37German farmers are not just angry about agricultural diesel cuts. They say the policies from the

01:42EU and Germany, which they're dependent on, can change at a moment's notice, making it

01:47almost impossible to plan long-term.

01:49Liv Stroud, in Berlin, for Euronews.

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