06-05-2025
EU AGRI committee backs proposed fertiliser tariffs
The European Parliament Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) has voted to support proposals to impose tariffs on fertiliser imported from Russia and Belarus.
During a meeting in Strasbourg yesterday (Monday, May 5), 25 members of the committee voted in favour of an opinion on the proposal, 5 were against and 14 abstained.
Irish MEPs Barry Cowen and Maria Walsh, who are both full members of the committee, were among those who voted against.
The EU Commission's proposal seeks to modify customs duties applied to imports of certain goods originating in or exported directly or indirectly from Russia and Belarus.
The move, intended to restrict Russia's war financing and promote EU strategic autonomy, has already been approved by the European Council.
Fertiliser
In a statement to Agriland, Midlands–North-West MEP Barry Cowen said that 'after careful consideration' he could not support the proposed tariffs in yesterday's vote.
'The reality is they would hit Irish and European farmers and consumers far harder than they would impact the Russian war machine.
'Fertiliser prices are already rising sharply and the commission's approach risks making a difficult situation worse,' he said.
The Fianna Fáil MEP noted that he has already secured support for several key amendments at AGRI.
These include monthly monitoring and public reporting of fertiliser prices across all member states and promotion of the active diversification of EU fertiliser supply, particularly through stronger trade ties with the US and support for alternatives such as RENURE and digestate.
'Ireland has no domestic fertiliser production – we rely entirely on imports. These tariffs might make sense for other member states, but for us it could spell disaster.
'Ultimately, in relation to yesterday's vote, the commission failed to put forward any serious proposals to address my concerns and those of Irish farmers. That's not good enough.
'I'll always back Irish agriculture and that means advocating for policies grounded in their lived realities, not just political optics,' Cowen said.
Bags of fertiliser. Image: Copa Cogeca on X
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh said that 'Irish farmers face the highest fertiliser costs in the European Union'.
'The recent Rabobank report highlights the continued increase in the price of fertiliser in 2025, resulting in a decrease of the purchasing power of farmers.
'We are in a particularly vulnerable position due to our reliance on imported fertilisers,' she said.
'I believe the commission's proposal and the compromise reached in the Agriculture Committee lack sufficient safeguards and fail to guarantee that Irish farmers will not be affected by an increase in fertiliser prices.
'Given the multitude of pressures currently facing Irish farmers, they do not need yet another source of uncertainty,' the Midlands–North-West MEP added.
'I have consistently supported sanctions against Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, as my record shows.
'I hope to see a proposal from the Commission that penalises Russia while also protecting Irish farmers,' she said.
The next step will be a vote in the International Trade (INTA) Committee, which is the lead committee on this legislation, followed by a vote at plenary (full sitting) of the EU Parliament.
Tariffs
Meanwhile, Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly voiced his disappointment at the outcome of the vote 'despite strong requests from myself, fellow MEPs and farmers groups not only in Ireland but throughout Europe'.
He claimed that the new tariffs will 'inevitably lead to higher prices to be paid by our farmers within the next 18 months'.
'The mad rush to push this through flew in the face of lots of genuine efforts by MEPs of all sides to bring amendments – a fact that wasn't forgotten by other MEPs from other countries who spoke after the vote on the committee,' he said.
Ahead of the meeting, Mullooly wrote to the Irish MEPs on the AGRI committee to voice his concern and that of farm organisations about 'targeting such an essential farm input'.
Mullooly said that he fully supports the EU's strategic objective to reduce dependence on Russian fertiliser imports.
However, he believes the compromise measures proposed by the commission to mitigate the impact on Irish and European farming are 'aspirational in tone and vague in substance'.
