The EU has suspended tariffs on certain fertilizers for one year, with the exception of those from Russia and Belarus
On May 22, the Council of the EU decided to suspend tariffs on a number of key nitrogen fertilizers used in agriculture for one year. This includes, in particular, urea and ammonia. However, the decision does not apply to products from Russia and Belarus.
“Today’s decision gives European farmers better access to reliable fertilizer supplies—good news for both the agricultural sector and EU consumers. At the same time, we are accelerating the phase-out of Russian and Belarusian products and building more resilient supply chains and partnerships around the world,” said Makis Keravnos, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Cyprus.
In practice, the suspension of customs duties will apply only to goods that have not yet been imported into the EU duty-free from countries with preferential access under the Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) regime.
At the same time, to balance the interests of European producers, this measure is capped at a quota equal to the volume of imports from MFN countries in 2024 plus 20% of imports from Russia and Belarus for the same year.
It is noted that the European Union has decided that the suspension of customs duties will not apply to goods imported from Russia due to its unprovoked and unjustified aggressive war against Ukraine.
Furthermore, this suspension of customs duties will not apply to goods imported from Belarus, given its support for Russia and its disregard for international law, fundamental freedoms, and human rights.
The decision will take effect the day after its publication in the EU Official Journal and will remain in force for one year.
According to the European Commission, this decision aims to reduce costs for farmers and the fertilizer industry in the EU, saving them approximately 60 million euros in import duties.
The decision will also reduce the EU’s dependence on Russia and Belarus for fertilizer production.
The EU is preparing a €90 billion loan for Ukraine - Politico.
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A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and the European Union took place in Nicosia, following which Volodymyr Zelenskyy, António Costa, and Ursula von der Leyen issued a joint statement on a new phase of support for Kyiv. The discussion focused on a 90-billion-euro loan, sanctions pressure on Russia, and Ukraine’s continued progress toward EU membership. The leaders emphasized the need for swift decisions and strengthened joint action.
