STORY: Farmers dumped thousands of potatoes on the cobblestones of a Brussels’ square on Saturday (January 10) and parked a tractor in the historic Grand Place in a protest against Mercosur trade deal.

The protest was staged by a couple of farmers, who managed to reach the city centre with their tractor around 1200 (GMT).

The landmark square, visited daily by thousands of tourists, became the backdrop for a demonstration that has moved beyond highways and motorway junctions, where farmers' blockades were still ongoing on Saturday morning.

EU states gave the go-ahead on Friday (January 9) for Europe to sign its largest free trade accord with the South American group Mercosur, more than 25 years after talks began, following months of wrangling to secure enough support.

One of the protesters said farmers were "angry" over the "outrageous" trade deal, claiming that it will allow bringing in the EU products that don’t meet the same standards as European farmers are required to follow.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JANUARY 10, 2026) (RTL - No use Belgium)

1. VARIOUS OF TRACTOR DUMPING POTATOES IN BRUSSELS MAIN SQUARE

2. VARIOUS OF PROTESTING FARMER HOLDING PLACARD READING (French): "?? EUROPE IN SOLIDARITY"

3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) PROTESTING FARMER, MARINE (NO SURNAME GIVEN), SAYING:

“As we’ve seen in recent days, farmers are angry. The Mercosur deal is going through, and it’s truly a scandal. We’re bringing in products that don’t meet the same standards we’re required to follow. In Europe, farmers are forced to comply with strict regulations, yet imports are allowed that don’t meet those standards. We find this outrageous, not only for fairness to farmers but also for consumer health, as these products are of poor quality.”

4. PLACARD LAYING ON POTATOES READING (French): "UNFAIR COMPETITION"

5. TRACTORS WITH POTATOES ON SQUARE