Polish chemicals firms to benefit from EU tarrif increases on Russian and Belarussian fertilisers

"The gradual increase of tariffs on fertilisers from Russia and Belarus is an important step towards increasing food security for the entire European Union and a real support for Polish companies in the chemical industry," said Poland's state assets minister, quoted in the press release.

He added that Polish ministers had been pushing for this solution at various EU levels.

"I am glad that the EP has made this decision. It will help protect Polish fertiliser producers from the flood of cheap imports from Russia and Belarus and improve the situation of the whole industry," Jaworowski said.

"It is also part of a bigger plan to strengthen European industry and reduce the financing of the Russian war machine," he added.

The draft new regulation stipulates that the increase in fertiliser tariffs will be phased in over a transition period of three years. Through increased tariffs, the Russian share of imports into the EU is to be gradually eliminated.

The new legislation provides for a 6.5 percent tariff on fertiliser imported from Russia and Belarus, plus duties of between EUR 40-45 per tonne for 2025-2026.

On Thursday, the EP adopted a mandate to negotiate a regulation with Member States in the Council. Given that countries in the Council also support an increase in customs duties, the negotiations will be a formality. The regulation is expected to enter into force on July 1.

At end-January, the deputy CEO of listed chemicals group Azoty Hubert Kamola said that the group assessed the European Commission's proposal to impose duties on certain agricultural products and nitrogenous fertilisers from Russia and Belarus as "good news" for the domestic fertiliser industry.

jz/ ao/ han/