25.5.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 184/109
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers’ (COM(2022) 590 final) (2023/C 184/21)
Rapporteur: Arnold PUECH d'ALISSAC
Referral
European Commission, 9.12.2022
Legal basis
Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Section responsible
Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment
Adopted in section
9.3.2023
Adopted at plenary
23.3.2023
Plenary session No
577
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions)
170/3/4
1.
Conclusions and recommendations 1.1.
The EESC welcomes the communication from the Commission on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers as the global fertiliser crisis, which started in early 2021 and worsened following the war in Ukraine, is particularly acute in Europe where farmers are facing both record prices and supply shortages.
The current situation is a threat to European agriculture and global food security. 1.2.
The EESC highlights that emergency domestic actions are required to limit the impact of the fertiliser crisis.
Besides the possibility of directly supporting the most affected nitrogen manufacturers and farmers through State Aid (which faces budgetary constraints, raises risks of competitive distortions and should be subject to conditionality), the EESC considers that corrective measures are necessary to improve the functioning of the EU fertiliser market, as they are likely to have a greater impact on farmers and be more cost effective for taxpayers. 1.3.
To address both fertiliser supply and prices by facilitating imports and domestic competition, the EESC advises taking actions that include the suspension of EU import tariffs on all fertilisers, the facilitation of fertiliser logistics and regulatory flexibilities. 1.4.
The EESC also considers that medium-term measures are required to limit the EU's dependence on imported mineral fertilisers and reduce the environmental footprint of crop fertilisation.
These should aim to limit fertiliser use through enhanced plant nutrient efficiency, partly substituting synthetic fertilisers by recycled livestock manure and other waste, and improving Europe's self-sufficiency in fertiliser production, in order to support the agro-ecological transformation of farming. 1.5.
The EESC welcomes the announcement of a new fertiliser market observatory (to be established in 2023), given that transparency in the EU fertiliser market must be increased through the regular publication of representative domestic market prices, and through the development of public statistics on fertiliser production and use. 1.6.
The EESC further calls for taking into consideration the social aspects related to farmers (who are highly impacted by fertiliser prices), food consumers (who are facing food price inflation) and industry workers when adopting new measures. 1.7.
On the international stage, the EESC urges the EU to step up actions against global food insecurity, including the promotion of fertiliser transparency, availability and effective use.
Global fertiliser trade should be facilitated by keeping markets open, avoiding export restrictions and bans, increasing fertiliser production in Europe and expanding logistic routes.