EU Council has adopted its position on a regulation that will impose tariffs on remaining agricultural products from Russia and Belarus, as well as certain nitrogen-based fertilizers. These tariffs aim to reduce Russian export revenues, limiting Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine.
The agricultural products affected by the new tariffs constitute 15% of all agricultural imports from Russia (in 2023). Once the new tariffs come into force, all agricultural imports from Russia will be subject to EU tariffs.
In 2023, the imports of the concerned fertilisers from Russia represented over 25% of the Union’s total imports (around 3.6 million tonnes (worth EUR 1.28 billion).
"We will carefully monitor the implementation of these tariffs to ensure that the EU fertiliser industry and farmers are protected, while simultaneously reducing EU dependencies, preserving global food security, and further weakening Russia’s war economy," - said Krzysztof Paszyk, Minister of Development and Technology of Poland.
The tariffs aim to reduce the dependency from Russia and Belarus and boost domestic production and support the EU’s fertiliser industry, while ensuring that Russia does not benefit commercially from continuing to export to the Union. They will also allow for the diversification of supply from third countries to create a stable fertiliser supply and, crucially, to ensure that fertilisers remain affordable for EU farmers, - the EU Council said in statement.
The tariff increases for the fertilisers will take place gradually, over a transition period of three years.
The proposal also includes measures to mitigate the impact on EU farmers, should there be a significant rise in fertiliser prices.
Once the European Parliament has adopted its position, both institutions will need to agree on a common text. The Council will then formally adopt the regulation by qualified majority.
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