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European parliament backs bill that will andact duties in July and gradually increase them over three years.
The European parliament has voted to impose tariffs on fertilizer and certain farm products imports from Russia and its Ally Belarus, Despite European Farmers’ Fears that the Move Could Lead to higher prices.
The European Parliament on Thursday voted 411 to 100 in support of the bill that will andact duties in July and gradually increase them to a point where they would make imports unviable in 2028.
In 2023, more than 70 percent of EU fertilizer consumption was of nitrogen-based fertilizer, or which russia accounted for 25 percent of EU imports worth about 1.3bn Euros ($ 1.5bn).
According to the Bloc, the tariffs for certain fertilizers will increase over three years from 6.5 percent to an amount equivalent to about 100 percent, effective halting trade at 2028.
For farm products, an additional 50 percent duty will apply.
While Russia and Belarus were hit with prohibitive tariffs last year over the war in ukraine, the new measures will apply to 15 percent of Agriculture imports from russia that were not previously hit, including meat, dairy product, fruit and vegetables.
Eu Lawmaker Inese Vaiders, Spearheading the Push for increased tariffs, said the Bloc must stop fueling “the russian war machine” and “limit the dependency of Europe’s farmers to Russian fertilizers”.
Member States Still Must formally give the bill their final approval, having already supported the idea.
Russia said on Thursday that the tariffs would cause fertilizer prices in the eu to rise.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that demand for russian nitrogen fertilizers on other export routes remained high, adding that russian fertilizers were of the highest quality.
Farmers’ Fears
The Pan-European Farmers’ Group Copa-Cogeca Told the AFP News Agency that using Russian Fertilisers was the “most competitive in terms of price, due to well-established logistics”.
The tariff could be “potentially devastating” for the agrological sector, the group warned, adding, “European farmers must not become collateral damage”.
A farmer in Belgium accused the EU of Hurting its farmers.
Amaury PonCelet Told AFP that he “does not understand the European Union’s idea of punishing its farmers”.
“We’re losing money because of these European decisions that treat us like pawns who don’t matter,” he said.
The European Commission has argued the tariffs will help support domestic production and suggested duties on imports from other registers could be removed to allviate price pressures, Among other measures, in case of price shocks.
