
EU ready to tax Russian fertilisers as early as July
A farmers' group said using Russian fertilisers was the most competitive in terms of price, due to well-established logistics for supplying the EU. (Shippingwatch pic)
BRUSSELS : EU lawmakers are set to greenlight tariffs on fertiliser imports from Russia today, despite European farmers' fears the move risks sending global prices soaring.
Over a quarter of the 27-nation bloc's imports of nitrogen-based fertilisers come from Russia, with more entering from Moscow's ally Belarus, which the European Commission now seeks to bring to an end.
Seeking to allay farmers' worries, Brussels says it will impose the duties from July and gradually increase them up to 2028 until they reach a level that would fully cut off the flow.
Three years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU must stop fuelling 'the Russian war machine' and 'limit the dependency of Europe's farmers to Russian fertilisers', said lawmaker Inese Vaidere, spearheading the push in the EU parliament to impose the tariffs.
Barring any last-minute drama, the European parliament is expected to approve the tariffs – although some right-wing lawmakers had been calling for a one-year suspension.
The move is not welcomed by farmers.
With rising production costs, pan-European farmers' group Copa-Cogeca explained, using Russian fertilisers was 'the most competitive in terms of price, due to well-established logistics' for supplying the EU.
Brussels also intends for the levies to prevent the indirect export of Russian gas, which is used to produce fertilisers.
The EU also wants to increase the bloc's own fertiliser production, and its moves are welcomed by the fertiliser industry in the bloc.
'Time is running out. We've been basically calling for action at the EU level for three years,' said Tiffanie Stephani of Norwegian fertiliser manufacturer Yara.
However, she admitted the farmers' concerns were 'more than legitimate'.
'Punishing farmers'
The EU has its work cut out to reassure farmers, who are already angry about administrative burdens, squeezed revenues and what they see as unfair competition from less-regulated overseas rivals.
The tariff could be 'potentially devastating' for the agriculture sector, warned Copa-Cogeca, adding: 'European farmers must not become collateral damage'.
A farmer in central Belgium, Amaury Poncelet, accused the EU of hurting the sector.
After spreading nitrogen fertiliser on his field in Berloz – which he buys from a dealer in Ghent without knowing where it comes from – the grain and beet farmer said he 'doesn't understand the EU'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 EU has suggested that duties on imports from North Africa, Central Asia, the US, Trinidad and Tobago, and Nigeria could be removed to alleviate pressure on prices, among other mitigating measures, should the duties lead to price shocks.
Yara's Stephani pointed to estimates showing that, with tariffs on Russian imports, there would be an increase of fertiliser prices of five to 10 dollars per tonne 'because of different logistic costs'.
Prices vary, but a tonne of nitrogen fertiliser is currently worth around US$400.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Free Malaysia Today
19 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Watch out for the ‘salt and pepper test' when lunching with recruiters
By seeing whether a candidate will taste their dish before seasoning it, a recruiter can apparently access his or her ability to make decisions. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Some recruiters can be rather imaginative when it comes to testing the emotional intelligence of job applicants. A few years ago, a former Australian CEO revealed his method for deciding between two equally qualified candidates. Dubbed the 'coffee cup test', the technique involved serving a cup of coffee at the start of a job interview, then observing the person's actions at the end. Will they ask where they can put their dirty cup, or forget about it altogether and leave it where it is? The first scenario works in the candidate's favour than the second: apparently, showing willingness to clear your mug demonstrates initiative and team spirit, as well as a strong ability to adapt quickly to the company culture. Recently, another similar-minded recruitment test has been making the rounds on social networks. Initially thought to be an urban myth, it has nevertheless been reported by managers and employers claiming to put it into practice, notably in the United States. This time, the test involves salt and pepper shakers: the idea is to analyse whether the candidate will taste their dish before seasoning it. In doing so, the recruiter assesses the candidate's ability to make decisions based on how they behave. In other words, this 'test' allows recruiters to determine whether the candidate is the type to observe and think before acting, or whether they will rush into action impulsively, following their instincts or assumptions without analysing the situation beforehand. Hiring managers are increasingly placing priority on candidates' soft skills such as professionalism, emotional intelligence, and team spirit. (Envato Elements pic) While these tests – which have not been approved by any kind of HR certification – may seem far-fetched and relatively rare in practice, they nonetheless reflect a very real trend in corporate culture in line with what is commonly known as 'soft skills'. These qualities include professionalism, emotional intelligence and team spirit, and are increasingly valued by recruiters and managers alike. A recent LinkedIn survey showed that employees who know how to demonstrate soft skills get promoted more quickly than their colleagues who focus more on their hard skills, i.e. the technical and practical abilities they require to fulfill tasks associated with their position. But not all soft skills are equal – the LinkedIn study adds that organisational skills, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership are the most effective aptitudes for getting promoted more quickly.


Free Malaysia Today
22 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
How management of family life could benefit workplace skills
The challenges of everyday family life can become laboratories wherein the skills of tomorrow are forged. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : For many, managing daily life can feel like a logistical feat. But, while long perceived as duties that lead to stress and exhaustion, family responsibilities could prove to be an unexpected asset in the professional sphere. An international research team spent six weeks following 147 dual-income couples, all of whom were parents and full-time employees. Their aim was to understand how family organisation can influence work performance. The findings are surprising: while juggling family life and professional obligations can feel like a daily struggle, those who develop coping strategies fare better than others. Scientists have dubbed this dynamic 'strategic renewal'. It manifests itself in many ways in everyday family life: reorganising childcare arrangements, arranging living spaces to optimise teleworking, creating quiet areas dedicated to concentration, setting up shared schedules, or introducing screen-free times to strengthen family bonds, for example. By regaining control over their domestic organisation, parents can develop confidence and strategic approaches that directly benefit their professional lives and make them more creative in the face of change. 'These kinds of deliberate, future-oriented adjustments enable families to respond flexibly to changing demands,' study co-author Siqi Wang explained. 'They build confidence, reduce stress, and enhance overall functioning at home and at work.' These findings take on particular resonance given the current trend for hybrid working. 'As hybrid and flexible work models become the norm, the boundaries between home and work continue to blur,' said co-author Yasin Rofcanin. 'It's important that employers recognise how home dynamics influence workplace performance.' Published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, this study suggests that companies can amplify these benefits by rethinking their managerial approaches. The researchers recommend investing in programmes that include training on work-family dynamics and flexible work arrangements. Wellness programmes, counselling services, and assistance with family caregiving can also play a key role. All of this has the potential to shake up traditional perceptions of work-life balance. Rather than viewing these two worlds as opposing forces, this approach reveals their potential for synergy. As a result, the challenges of everyday family life can become laboratories wherein the skills of tomorrow are forged. For working parents, this offers a new perspective: their efforts to organise their home life are not a waste of time, but rather an investment in their professional development.


Free Malaysia Today
31 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Nvidia marks Paris tech fair with Europe AI push
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers his keynote address at the Vivatech fair in Paris. (AP pic) PARIS : Drawing high-powered tech CEOs and a presidential visit, the Vivatech trade fair opened in Paris on Wednesday with a bang as Nvidia boss Jensen Huang announced a major push into Europe. 'In just two years we will increase the amount of AI computing capacity in Europe by a factor of 10,' Huang told a packed hall in a southern Paris convention centre, striding around the stage wearing his trademark leather jacket. He also announced a multi-billion-dollar partnership with French AI champion Mistral AI. President Emmanuel Macron hailed the Nvidia-Mistral tie-up as a 'historic' opportunity for France and Europe, urging other local firms to climb aboard. He had arrived late on Wednesday afternoon for a tour of the show and meetings with European startups about technological sovereignty, a subject dear to his heart. 'We want AI… that's secure, sustainable, humanist,' Macron said. People from around the globe thronged the halls of Vivatech, crammed with stands in blaring colours showing off the latest innovations from startups, tech giants and more traditional firms and patrolled here and there by gesticulating robots. Around 14,000 startups and more than 3,000 investors were expected in Paris, while organisers forecast total visitor numbers to at least equal last year's 165,000 people. Nvidia's Huang took top billing with an opening presentation of almost two hours that drew bouts of rapturous applause from attendees. The US firm's tie-up with Mistral will see the companies build a cloud computing platform powered by 18,000 of Nvidia's 'Blackwell' high-end chips worth billions. Speaking in a panel discussion with Huang and Macron, Mistral chief Arthur Mensch said the offering would be 'completely independent' in a nod to the president's sovereignty drive. 'You're no longer relying for your AI workload on certain of the US providers,' he promised the audience. Macron dubbed the Mistral-Nvidia collaboration a 'game-changer, because it will increase our sovereignty and it will allow us to do much more' with AI. Europe 'has put its ability to produce things in danger' and 'become more and more dependent on the rest of the world,' he warned. Aside from Mistral, Nvidia will also intensify work with existing partners like Germany's Siemens and France's Schneider Electric, Huang said. And it will help build multiple data centres in seven European countries. Europe is well behind competitors like the US and China in building up the computing power needed to power generative artificial intelligence. The continent hosts 'less than 5% of global computing power, whereas we consume 20%,' Macron's office said in a press briefing ahead of the leader's visit to Vivatech. Nvidia has seen export restrictions slapped on its top-performing chips by Washington, with American politicians leery of ceding their country's lead in generative AI. Remaining high-tech controls on China are at issue in high-stakes trade talks with Beijing. Huang has warned that the US' superpower rival is nevertheless making swift strides to catch up. There was little sign of impact from export restrictions on Nvidia's chip sales in its May earnings release. But the company has warned the braking effect may be larger in the current quarter. US politics also preoccupies many European tech leaders and policymakers. Concerns range from Trump's mercurial tariff policy to the continent's ability to stand on its own without US tech giants – and the massive gap in funding for AI development between the two sides of the Atlantic. 'Sovereignty, which wasn't as important in the conversation just a year or two years ago, has become an absolutely strategic priority,' Vivatech managing director Francois Bitouzet told AFP. Macron's hammering on tech sovereignty followed on from his hyping of French and European openness to AI at a Paris global summit in February. Macron, Mensch and Huang were set to dine together behind closed doors at the president's Elysee Palace residence on Wednesday evening.