EU strategy on fertilisers

Background 

The global fertiliser crisis has reached a critical level in Europe, where farmers are facing unprecedented challenges due to record prices. This crisis has been exacerbated by the recent war in Ukraine, making it a serious threat to European agriculture and global food security.

Key points:

In the opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

• welcomes the communication from the European Commission regarding the fertiliser crisis and its impact on European farmers (higher costs), consumers (food price inflation) and industry workers;
• calls for both short-term and longer-term measures to limit the EU's dependence on imported mineral fertilisers, reduce the environmental impact of crop fertilisation and improve the functioning of the EU fertiliser market. These measures include extending the suspension of EU import tariffs to all fertilisers, facilitating domestic fertiliser logistics, substitute mineral fertilisers with organic fertilisers and other waste, improve Europe's self-sufficiency in fertiliser production and allowing regulatory flexibilities;
• also welcomes the establishment of a new fertiliser market observatory in 2023 to ensure transparency in the EU fertiliser market by publishing domestic market prices for a range of fertilisers and developing public statistics on fertiliser production and consumption;

The full text of the opinion is available here.

Additional information

Section: Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT)

Opinion number: NAT/887

Opinion type: Optional

Rapporteur: Arnold PUECH d'ALISSAC  (Employers' Group  - FR)

Reference: COM(2022) 590 final COM(2022) 590 final

Date of adoption by section: 09/03/2023

Result of the vote:  

Date of adoption in plenary: 26/03/2023

Result of the vote: 170 in favour/ 3 against / 4 abstentions 

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