In May, the European Parliament’s Trade Committee will discuss the new tariff, after EU countries had already cleared the way for it. A final decision may be made in the full EP plenary session in June.
Farmer organizations and some EU member states fear that a sudden introduction of high tariffs will lead to higher costs for farmers, lower yields, and rising food prices. According to them, it is unwise to put extra pressure on the agricultural sector during uncertain times without offering alternatives.
The EP Agriculture Committee states that the consequences of new tariffs for European farmers are far too great. Higher production costs threaten to weaken their competitive position, while they are already under pressure due to environmental regulations and rising expenses. The Agriculture Committee believes that dependency of EU countries on Russian fertilizer must first be examined.
The European agriculture umbrella organization Copa-Cogeca also calls for a postponement. This organization of farmers and cooperatives argues that the EU must prevent farmers from becoming financial victims of geopolitical policies. If the tariffs go ahead regardless, Copa-Cogeca demands compensation for affected farmers to prevent production problems.
Since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, the European Union has imposed many sanctions against Russian raw materials, oil, and steel. However, these sanctions do not yet apply to fertilizer, just as they do not to some food and agricultural products. Thus, the fertilizer discussion touches on broader issues of trade policy and food security.
The EU does not produce enough fertilizer itself to meet its entire demand. More than forty percent of the fertilizer used in Europe comes from Russia and Belarus. The supply from other countries is limited or more expensive. A sudden sharp increase in import tariffs would therefore quickly be felt in the European agricultural food market.
Some proponents argue that the EU should become less dependent on unreliable suppliers. By pursuing strategic autonomy, Europe can protect itself from geopolitical pressure. However, critics say this unnecessarily jeopardizes food security.
Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (SGP) expects import tariffs to rise gradually. He states it is 'important that the cost does not fall on the farmers.' He also cites this as yet another reason to support the use of agricultural fertilizers such as Renure. That promotes circularity, is more sustainable, and also cheaper for farmers, according to Ruissen.
The European Commission is meanwhile working on a new trade regime with Ukraine, which before the war imported a lot of fertilizer from Russia. This adds extra time pressure and complexity to the debate. The free trade flow with Ukraine is also thereby under pressure, as is the competitive position of farmers in Eastern European neighboring countries.