A convoy of tractors, called by the agricultural union Unió de Pagesos, traveled from Sant Boi de Llobregat to Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The protest aimed to reject the planned expansion of the Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) in the Llobregat Delta natural reserve, a measure they claim will have “devastating consequences” for the Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat.
The slow march, which started around 10:00 AM, proceeded along the C-31 highway, Granvia de L'Hospitalet, Gran Via in Barcelona, and Plaça Catalunya, causing significant traffic congestion. Organizers estimated participation at around fifty tractors. The main column stopped on Via Laietana, while a symbolic tractor dumped fruits and vegetables in front of the Palau de la Generalitat.
“"The management plan for the Llobregat Delta natural reserve promoted by the Generalitat at the request of the European Union does not take into account the opinion of the farming community."
According to Unió de Pagesos, the ZEPA expansion was originally intended as a compensatory measure for the expansion of the El Prat Airport, but its limits were extended two years ago by the last ERC Government despite rejection from the Parliament. This measure will affect hundreds of hectares of high-value agricultural land, preventing the installation of new greenhouses, the modernization of irrigation systems, or simple maintenance tasks during nesting seasons.
“"We want to plant, harvest, and be left in peace."
This mobilization is part of a wider wave of protests by the agricultural sector across Catalonia against the limitations imposed by ZEPA zones. Meanwhile, sources from the Govern's Ministry of Agriculture have confirmed that the administration has agreed to negotiate and has approved an aid package worth approximately seven million euros to compensate affected farmers. However, the unions deem these measures insufficient and demand “real guarantees” to ensure the continuation of productive agricultural activity.
