The Europarliament adopted preventive tariffs on goods from the Russia and the Belarus

The European Parliament voted on May 22 to impose prohibitive tariffs on fertilizers and certain agricultural products from Russia and its ally Belarus.

Tariffs on some nitrogen fertilizers will increase over three years from 6.5% to an amount equivalent to about 100%, effectively halting trade.

An additional duty of 50% will apply to agricultural products.

Revenues from the sale of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers are considered a direct contribution to the war against Ukraine.

The tariff increase will take effect on July 1.

Russian and Belarusian grain was already subject to prohibitive tariffs last year. The new duties apply to 15% of previously duty-free agricultural imports from Russia, worth 380 million euros. This includes meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables.

The European Commission said these imports, especially of fertilizers, make the EU vulnerable to potential coercive measures from Russia that could jeopardize EU food security.

EU imports from Belarus in 2023 were more limited: €92 million for agricultural products and €30 million for fertilizers.

The tariffs will not affect the transit of Russian agricultural exports and fertilizers to third countries. The EU has so far avoided imposing sanctions against them so as not to disrupt global supplies, especially to developing countries.

Recall that in 2023, Russia exported 4.2 million tons of grain and oilseeds to the bloc worth about 1.3 billion euros.