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At the end of January, the European Union (EU) published a Proposal for a Regulation to amend the customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in Russia and Belarus, including nitrogen fertilizers.
In 2023, imports of Russian urea and nitrogen fertilizers into the EU reached 3.6 million tons, and in 2024 they increased significantly. The European Commission argues that maintaining imports under current conditions could make the EU vulnerable to economic and geopolitical pressures from Russia. Therefore, tariff measures are proposed to reduce economic dependence on these imports.
The concern is that Russian fertilizer production could be redirected to the EU, intensifying imports and creating an imbalance in the European market, hurting EU producers, who already face high costs due to the high price of gas. The EU nitrogen fertilizer industry is key to food security, as the agricultural sector depends on these fertilizers. It is therefore considered essential to limit dependence on Russian fertilizers and to protect the viability of the European industry.
The organization Copa-Cogeca, which represents farmers and agricultural cooperatives in the EU, has expressed concern about the Commission's proposal. While it recognizes the need to reduce dependence on Russia, it warns that increasing tariffs on fertilizers could further raise agricultural production costs, affecting the competitiveness of the sector and the profitability of farms. Copa-Cogeca stresses the need for balanced measures that protect agricultural production without having a negative impact on European farmers.
March 5, 2025/ 333 Staff with data from the EU and Copa-Cogeca.
