1月8日，数百名法国农民聚集在巴黎国民议会外，抗议欧盟与南方共同市场贸易协定，呼吁加强对本国农业的保护。
France saw hundreds of farmers gather outside the National Assembly in Paris on 8 January, to protest against the EU-Mercosur trade deal and demand greater protection for French agriculture.
尽管警方下达禁令，仍有约100辆拖拉机在黎明前驶入首都。部分拖拉机抵达了凯旋门和埃菲尔铁塔，随后农民们举着警示生计压力日益增大的旗帜和横幅，在议会外集结。
Around 100 tractors entered the capital before dawn despite a police ban. Some reached the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower before farmers gathered outside parliament, carrying flags and banners warning of the growing pressure on their livelihoods.
此次抗议活动由法国农业协调组织发起，其成员从法国多地赶来，要求政府强化对本土农业的保护。他们还批评了政府应对牛结节性皮肤病疫情的措施。
The protest was organised by Coordination Rurale, whose members travelled from several French regions to demand stronger protection for domestic agriculture. They also criticised the government's response to an outbreak of lumpy skin disease affecting cattle.
欧盟与南方共同市场协定一旦生效，将大幅拓展与巴西、阿根廷、巴拉圭和乌拉圭的贸易往来。法国农民担心，在环境及动物福利标准相对宽松的地区生产的低价牛肉、禽肉和食糖会对本国市场造成冲击。
The EU-Mercosur agreement would expand trade with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. French farmers fear competition from cheaper beef, poultry and sugar produced under different environmental and animal-welfare standards.
欧盟方面则强调，欧洲食品安全法规仍将适用，涉及敏感农产品的进口也将受到配额限制。
Brussels says European food-safety rules would still apply and that sensitive agricultural imports would be subject to quotas.
在议会外，国民议会议长雅埃尔·布劳恩-皮韦遭到示威者喝倒彩，局势一度紧张。法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙表示，在即将举行的欧盟投票中，法国将反对该协定。
Tensions rose outside parliament when National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet was booed by demonstrators. President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said France would oppose the agreement ahead of a crucial European vote.
据法国内政部统计，抗议活动随后蔓延至全国，39个省份共有约2200名农民、625辆拖拉机参与。尽管农业协调组织当天晚些时候呼吁停止示威，但仍强调斗争远未结束。
The protests extended across the country, bringing together around 2,200 farmers and 625 tractors in 39 departments, according to the Interior Ministry. Coordination Rurale called for an end to the demonstrations later that day but insisted the fight was far from over.