Brussels – As of July 1, 2025, all agricultural products from Russia will be subject to customs duties in the European Union. The EU Council decided this today (June 12), definitively approving the regulation extending the tariffs to previously exempt goods, including certain nitrogen fertilizers from Moscow and Minsk.
The measure, proposed by the Commission in January and supported politically by the European Parliament last May, is part of the EU’s strategy to weaken Russia’s ability to finance its war against Ukraine. According to Commission figures, in 2023, over 25 percent of fertilizer imports into the EU came from the Russian Federation, with a total volume of 3.6 million tons and a value of €1.28 billion.
“Security also passes through the economy,” said Michał Baranowski, Polish Under-Secretary of State for Trade, emphasizing that the approval of the new tariffs is consistent with the motto of the Polish Council Presidency: “Security, Europe!” The aim is to reduce Russia’s revenues and diminish the Union’s dependence on critical supplies.
Tariffs on certain fertilizers will be introduced simply to protect European agriculture. A course of action that also reflects the lack of sanctions on phosphate fertilizers for the sake of food security. The plan envisages a three-year transition to allow operators to adapt while maintaining supply stability and affordability for European producers. The Commission will closely monitor the measure’s impact on the internal market, reserving the right to intervene in the event of imbalances.
The new tariffs will affect goods that accounted for about 15 percent of total agricultural imports from Russia in 2023, including sugar, flour, feedstock, and fermented products. At the same time, the EU executive aims to accelerate the diversification of sources and strengthen domestic production, including through targeted investments in sectors most exposed to foreign competition. The decision comes in a geopolitical context marked by the Union’s quest for greater strategic autonomy, especially in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
