Commissioner Hansen, in a written answer on 19 June 2026, detailed the European Commission's response to soaring fertiliser prices, emphasising a mix of short-term relief and long-term resilience measures aimed at safeguarding EU farmers' profitability and food security. The answer addresses concerns raised by a group of MEPs from the PfE, ESN, and ECR groups, who warned that high nitrogen fertiliser costs—driven by gas prices, the war in Ukraine, and Middle East tensions—combined with EU regulatory constraints are threatening farm viability and the EU's self-sufficiency in food production.
The Commissioner acknowledged the pressure on farmers and pointed to several concrete actions already taken. These include a flat 1% mark-up to default CBAM values for fertilisers, a Temporary State Aid Framework adopted on 29 April 2026, and a temporary suspension of import duties for ammonia, urea, and other nitrogen fertilisers from non-Russia/Belarus origins within quotas, effective until 31 May 2027. On 19 May 2026, the Commission adopted a Fertiliser Action Plan that outlines short-term measures such as mobilising the agricultural reserve, liquidity support under the Common Agricultural Policy, and greater flexibility for advance payments. Longer-term actions focus on boosting EU production capacity, promoting recycled nutrients and low-carbon alternatives, and reducing import dependencies.
The answer is largely declarative, reiterating existing commitments rather than announcing new proposals. It does not provide a specific impact assessment on cumulative effects, as requested by the MEPs, but refers to internal monitoring via the Fertilisers Market Observatory. The policy orientation is towards supporting farmers through trade flexibility and state aid while gradually shifting to domestic and sustainable fertiliser production. Institutional follow-up is expected through the implementation of the Fertiliser Action Plan and continued monitoring of market developments.