Fishermen clash with police at EU

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

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.

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.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7435831.stm

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Whilst governments seem to be able to withstand protests by the general population, Joe Bloggs et al, dealing with truckers and fisherman is a different matter.

[midnight]

1. Some one should step in and help these fishermen the

way we step in and help the banks.

[Barrett808]

2. Better solution is to buy their licenses

The industry is doomed anyway; this approach gives fishermen a graceful exit.

[dipsydoodle]

4. In the UK

68% of the price of diesel is tax comprised 17.5% value added tax and the rest duty. The issue is whether either or both should've increased in accord with the base price of the fuel. They ensure that the same quality agricutural tractor fuel, which is a whole lot cheaper, isn't used as a substitute by dying it a different colour and doing spot checks on drivers tanks.

At least the issue has given the fisherman of the different EU countries , who are normally at each others throats , some common ground.

[AndyTiedye]

5. Seems Reasonable That Fisherman Should Not Pay ROAD Taxes on their Fuel

since they are not using it on the road.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. They don't - they get the same fuel as farmers; they want a subsidy

They pay just 9.7p per litre duty, as opposed to over 50P per litre for road vehicles:

On 28 February 2008, HM Revenue & Customs revealed that from 1 November this year, boaters will be paying a duty rate of 56.94 pence per litre, instead of the current rate of 9.69 pence per litre.

Boaters will be forced to keep records of all diesel purchases, as it will become a criminal offence to have diesel on board for propulsion that you cannot prove was bought at the higher rate of diesel.

http://www.theyachtmarket.com/guides/cost-implications-of-red-diesel.aspx

Until November, private boat owners will be able to get the cheap diesel too.

The fishermen want a subsidy for their fuel:

French fishermen say they will go bust unless they obtain discounted diesel at 40 euro cents (32 pence) per litre as opposed to 80 euro cents on the market. The price of marine diesel has surged by 30 percent in the past four months.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL0480183820080604

40 euro cents per litre = 61.6 US cents per litre = $2.33 per US gallon. As you can see, they want fuel cheaper that it would be without any tax.

[Javaman]

3. Shades of things to come. nt