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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Fishermen clash with police at EU | Fishermen clash with police at EU |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police have clashed with hundreds of fisherman protesting against the high cost of fuel outside the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels. | Police have clashed with hundreds of fisherman protesting against the high cost of fuel outside the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels. |
| Several windows in EU buildings were broken and at least one car was overturned during the demonstration. | Several windows in EU buildings were broken and at least one car was overturned during the demonstration. |
| Riot police responded by firing water cannon and launching baton charges. | Riot police responded by firing water cannon and launching baton charges. |
| The fishermen have said they will go out of business unless the EU allows national governments to give them more financial aid and subsidise their fuel. | The fishermen have said they will go out of business unless the EU allows national governments to give them more financial aid and subsidise their fuel. |
| French fishermen have been on strike for several weeks over the price of diesel, which has risen by 240% in the past five years. | French fishermen have been on strike for several weeks over the price of diesel, which has risen by 240% in the past five years. |
| In recent days they have been joined by members of fleets from the UK, Spain, Portugal and Italy, who have blockaded ports across Europe, and truck drivers. | In recent days they have been joined by members of fleets from the UK, Spain, Portugal and Italy, who have blockaded ports across Europe, and truck drivers. |
| Restructuring | Restructuring |
| With foghorns, flags and flares, hundreds of mainly French and Italian fishermen stopped traffic on the main road in the European district of the Belgian capital. | With foghorns, flags and flares, hundreds of mainly French and Italian fishermen stopped traffic on the main road in the European district of the Belgian capital. |
| We came here... to tell Europe to stop getting in the way of the French government trying to help us Philippe Margoud class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7436551.stm">In pictures: Fuel protests | |
| After several hours of stand-off, the protest turned violent. A car was overturned, bins were set on fire and windows were smashed by flares. | After several hours of stand-off, the protest turned violent. A car was overturned, bins were set on fire and windows were smashed by flares. |
| Riot police lined up behind a barbed-wire barricade in front of the European Commission responded by attempting to disperse the crowd with water cannons and baton charges. | Riot police lined up behind a barbed-wire barricade in front of the European Commission responded by attempting to disperse the crowd with water cannons and baton charges. |
| Earlier, a delegation of fishermen met senior EU officials briefly outside the Commission's headquarters to explain their grievances and demand emergency aid from both the EU and their countries' governments. | Earlier, a delegation of fishermen met senior EU officials briefly outside the Commission's headquarters to explain their grievances and demand emergency aid from both the EU and their countries' governments. |
| Philippe Margoud, a fisherman from the French Mediterranean port of Agde, said the price of marine diesel had gone up by a third in the past four months. | Philippe Margoud, a fisherman from the French Mediterranean port of Agde, said the price of marine diesel had gone up by a third in the past four months. |
| EU FUEL TAX RULES EU rules state the VAT on fuel cannot be less than 15%Member states are free to set VAT rates at or above that minimumChanging VAT minimum requires proposal from European Commission and unanimous agreement of all member statesAlso minimum EU-wide excise duty of 330 euros (£260) per 1,000 litres (220 gallons) of diesel Q&A: Europe fuel protests | EU FUEL TAX RULES EU rules state the VAT on fuel cannot be less than 15%Member states are free to set VAT rates at or above that minimumChanging VAT minimum requires proposal from European Commission and unanimous agreement of all member statesAlso minimum EU-wide excise duty of 330 euros (£260) per 1,000 litres (220 gallons) of diesel Q&A: Europe fuel protests |
| "Fuel is too expensive. France put a mechanism in place two years ago which provided the fishermen with a compensation package, and Europe said no," he said. | "Fuel is too expensive. France put a mechanism in place two years ago which provided the fishermen with a compensation package, and Europe said no," he said. |
| "That's why we came here, to tell Europe to stop getting in the way of the French government trying to help us." | "That's why we came here, to tell Europe to stop getting in the way of the French government trying to help us." |
| However, the EU officials stressed that any fuel subsidies would be illegal under European law and unsustainable in the long term. | However, the EU officials stressed that any fuel subsidies would be illegal under European law and unsustainable in the long term. |
| EU rules state that the value-added tax (VAT) rate on fuel cannot be less than 15%. Member states are free to set VAT rates at or above that minimum. | EU rules state that the value-added tax (VAT) rate on fuel cannot be less than 15%. Member states are free to set VAT rates at or above that minimum. |
| "There is a problem of high costs at the time when the sector is also in a situation where there is overcapacity and where there is a need for restructuring," said Patrick Tabone, the chief political adviser of the EU fisheries commissioner. | "There is a problem of high costs at the time when the sector is also in a situation where there is overcapacity and where there is a need for restructuring," said Patrick Tabone, the chief political adviser of the EU fisheries commissioner. |
| "What we need to ensure is that the responses we come up with are a real help to the sector, not only in the short term, but in the long term." | "What we need to ensure is that the responses we come up with are a real help to the sector, not only in the short term, but in the long term." |
| The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels says that this is not a message the angry fishermen will want to hear. | The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels says that this is not a message the angry fishermen will want to hear. |
| Have you taken part in the demonstrations in Brussels? Are you a European fisherman affected by the fuel price hike? Tell us about your experience using the form below: | Have you taken part in the demonstrations in Brussels? Are you a European fisherman affected by the fuel price hike? Tell us about your experience using the form below: |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |