Brussels, 04/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Several hundred Italian and French fishermen held a violent demonstration in Brussels on Wednesday 4 June to protest about the rise in the cost of fuel. From Italian ports, such as San Benedetto del Tronto, Ancona, Civitanova Marche and Pescara, and French ports, like Dieppe, Cherbourg, Arcachon and Sète, they called for European fuel at 40 cents per litre compared with the current price of 80 cents. A delegation met officials from the services of European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg. The Commission turned a deaf ear to the fishermen's demands. The demonstration was not recognised by Europêche, the Association of national organisations of fishing enterprises in the EU. At the request of the French, Italian and Spanish ministers, the Agriculture-Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 23 June will discuss the issue of rising fuel costs. (L.C.)