The European Union is preparing to surcharge Russian agricultural fertilizers – Liberation

One more step in the showdown between Brussels and Moscow. The European Parliament must approve this overcrowd on Thursday, May 22, May 22 millions of tonnes of fertilizer imported from Russia each year In Europe, despite the fears of farmers of a surge in world prices. The project provides for the implementation in July of customs taxes which must increase gradually for three years, to the point of cutting the tap of nitrogen fertilizers from Russia and its ally Belarusian.

More than three years after the invasion of Ukraine, it is necessary to stop « To feed the war machine » by Vladimir Putin and « Limit the dependence of European farmers towards Russian fertilizers », Claims the Latvian MEP Inese Vaidere (PPE, right), rapporteur of this text. The European Union imported 6.2 million tonnes of Russian fertilizers in 2024 and already nearly 2.5 million since the beginning of 2025, a quarter of its imports in this area.

« Russian origin is the most competitive in terms of price » and deliveries logistics is « Well established », underlines Dominique Dejonckheere, executive of the Copa-Cogeca, the organization of European agricultural unions. With surcharges, Europe wants to prevent Russia from going through its fertilizers to export its natural gas, the main raw material for making these nitrogen fertilizers.

Brussels mainly aims to increase European production, for more independence. The taxation of Russian fertilizers is also applauded by EU industrialists. « Time is running out. We have been asking the EU for three years to act ”, underlines Tiffanie Stephani, at Yara, one of the largest fertilizer producers in Europe. « Russian imports have had a massive impact » with a « pressure » On prices, she believes.

The EU will now have to reassure Farmers who are alarmed by a possible price explosion throughout the market. This taxation can be « Potentially devastating », launched the Copa-Cogeca. « European farmers should not become collateral damage » From the geopolitical situation, says this agricultural lobby.

At the European Commission, it is assured that all precautions have been taken so that the market is not affected. The European executive insists on the progressiveness of the measure, in three years. And promises to intervene if prices are climbing. In the event of inflation, the Commission could suspend customs taxes on fertilizers of other regions to compensate: Maghreb, Central Asia, United States, Trinity and Tobago or Nigeria…

The lessons vary, but the ton of nitrogen fertilizer is currently worth some 350 euros. Except for theater, the vote of the European Parliament should be acquired without too much difficulty this Thursday in plenary in Brussels. But voices on the right require a year -long postponement of the measure.

And a series of far -right elected officials tried, in vain, to unravel the proposal. Russian fertilizer taxation « Will not change the war from an iota and is extremely perilous for our farmers », judges the far -right MEP Thierry Mariani. « It is a gas factory and economic suicide », let go of this elected French, Regularly pointed out for its proximity to Russia by Vladimir Putin.

Exchased by the agricultural anger of 2024, the European Commission will monitor the subject as milk on fire. The executive has chained the gestures towards farmers in recent months, like a plan presented in mid-May to simplify the common agricultural policy by reducing environmental rules. Arrested on Wednesday, the French government assured that it had negotiated concessions before these surcharges, in particular not to include products based on ammonia.