This Is Brussels...

 ... they demonstrate against looming shutting down of Audi automotive plant. Audi lost competitiveness due to high energy prices.  

They are too little, too late. A maximum their demonstration can accomplish is to postpone inevitable for a little while longer, and even that is not guaranteed. One cannot fight inexorable economic laws of supply and demand and costs. This is just the start for EU nations, it will increasingly fast get worse, much worse. If you think it is a local phenomenon... 

The decline of the traditional German brewing industry shows no signs of slowing down. Recently, several breweries have filed for bankruptcy or closed permanently, resulting in the loss of centuries-old brewing traditions.  The latest victims are the Gambrinus Brewery in Weiden, Upper Palatinate, and the Gesellschaftsbrauerei Viechtach, about 100 km southeast. Both are located in the Bavarian border region with the Czech Republic, an area often described as structurally weak. The nearly 100-year-old Gambrinus Brewery filed for insolvency on Friday at the Weiden District Court due to unpaid bills and outstanding wages. The brewery's decline is attributed to rising costs, pandemic-related sales losses, and internal issues, with current production at around 15,000 hl, half its peak output. On Thursday, it was announced that the insolvent Gesellschaftsbrauerei Viechtach would close permanently after nearly 500 years, ceasing production. Despite intensive negotiations, no investors were willing to continue operations. Remaining employees have been let go, and the Viechtacher brand will continue to be produced at the nearby Hofmark Brewery in Loifling, located in the Cham district of the Upper Palatinate.

One of the "external" factors identified is the decline of Germans' beer consumption. Good beer is a fairly expensive habit and Germany's standard of living is being driven towards meeting third world standards extremely fast. It is not there yet, but Europe's fate is sealed no matter what it does. People may say that I am gloating, I am not--I do have heart and it aches sometimes, but without divulging the name and (very high) position of one of my German acquaintances, in his words--until Europe goes hungry, nothing will change. The process is underway and soon passionate and, to a large extent (not completely), freeloading immigration in EU propped up with massive influx of weapons from 404 may also say its word once social safety net tears apart, which is not the matter if IF but WHEN (very soon). National police forces No Go zones will extend greatly and will turn to self-governance, including through banditry and all other types of violence. We all pay for our sins, for Europe this time has arrived, the US is next.