Farmers and Truckers Stage Fuel Protest in Brussel

Belgian farmers say rising fuel prices are driving up costs while global competition is cutting the price of their products.

Belgian farmers, truckers and taxi drivers staged protests in Brussels against soaring fuel prices on Wednesday, a day before European Union leaders meet in the city to discuss how to tackle the high cost of oil.

Hundreds of tractors converged on the EU capital, creating sporadic traffic jams on highways while truckers and taxi drivers staged a go-slow protest on the city's inner ring road.

The demonstrations come two weeks after a protest by French and Italian fishermen in Brussels, also against the price of fuel, turned violent.

"The cost of petrol is so high that we have nothing left to live on. It represents 47 percent of our income," said Marc Thomas, a self-employed truck driver.

Police had advised commuters to take public transport on Wednesday, easing potential traffic problems during the morning.

Protests by truckers, fishermen and other groups exposed to rising energy costs have taken place across the globe from Spain to India, South Korea and Nepal in recent weeks.

Belgian farmers say rising fuel prices are driving up costs while global competition is cutting the price of their products.

"We have had it up to here. We just can't make ends meet with the prices at which we sell our products," said Anne-Marie Tasiaux, head of a regional farmers' union which distributed free milk and eggs to passers-by in the centre of Brussels.

Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme told a gathering of farmers his government could provide only limited financial help but he promised to press the European Commission not to make concessions on agriculture in the World Trade Organisation's Doha round of negotiations that would damage the local sector.

"I will not allow markets to be opened up to the detriment of agriculture," he told a crowd of demonstrating farmers.

The EU has strict rules about aid that member states can offer to industries or companies.

Some leaders, notably French President Nicolas Sarkozy who takes on the EU's rotating presidency from July 1, see a link between the "No" vote in last week's Irish referendum on the bloc's new Lisbon treaty and discontent on fuel and food.

Paris and other capitals want the European Commission to be more responsive to those problems.

On Tuesday, ministers from seven EU countries urged for more state aid for fishermen hit by higher fuel prices.

The European Commission has adopted proposals for some limited, emergency measures to help the fishing sector.

The EU leaders at a summit on Thursday and Friday are set to express concern at the oil price surge but will say measures to alleviate their impact should be "short-term and targeted", according to a draft summit communique.