Today, the European Commission adopted the Fertiliser Action Plan: an initiative to support farmers facing rising fertiliser costs and scarcity, reinforce domestic production and reduce Europe’s dependency on imports. The Plan will directly help to ensure food security and reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy, while pursuing high climate and environmental goals.
Recent supply disruptions and price volatility have put farmers across Europe under increasing pressure, exposing Europe’s vulnerability to external shocks in fertiliser supply. Building on the Fertilisers Communication adopted in 2022, today’s Fertiliser Action Plan combines immediate support measures aimed at supporting affordability and security of supply, with longer-term action to strengthen domestic fertiliser production, improve supply resilience and accelerate the transition to bio-based, low-carbon and circular fertilisers.
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “With this Action Plan, we are investing in a stronger European fertiliser industry, supporting European farmers and accelerating innovation in sustainable, home-grown solutions. The ongoing fossil fuel crisis shows that climate leadership and economic resilience are interlinked. This is why Europe is building a future based on sustainability, affordability and industrial strength.”
Support farmers and improve their access to fertilisers
The Commission will deliver targeted exceptional support to the European farmers facing high fertiliser costs through existing instruments under the EU’s agricultural policy. The Commission will propose mobilising the EU budget to reinforce the agricultural reserve by a substantial amount. This financial package will be presented before the summer to provide immediate liquidity relief for farmers ahead of the next production cycle and will help sustain agricultural production.
As additional short-term relief, the Commission will present a targeted legislative package enabling Member States to make full use of the support available under their current Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans. This will include a new liquidity scheme to help with cash flow, greater flexibility for advanced payments, and stronger incentives for more efficient farming practices that reduce and optimise fertiliser use, shift to bio-based fertilisers and invest in farm resilience where needed.
Further actions to support farmers will focus on better nutrient management, support for the development and uptake of nutrient-efficient farming practices and a stronger emphasis on Farm Advisory Services within the CAP. The Commission will also present measures to facilitate the use of digestates, with appropriate environmental safeguards. In addition, following the upcoming evaluation of the Nitrates Directive, the Commission will clarify certain implementation rules, to better align them with the reality of the calendar farming experienced on the ground.
Source: European Commission
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