The Council of the European Union has adopted a regulation that imposes new tariffs on the remaining agricultural products and certain fertilisers from Russia and Belarus that were not yet subject to extra customs duties. The measure, endorsed earlier by the European Parliament, aims to further reduce the EU’s dependency on Russian and Belarusian imports and diminish Russia’s ability to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine. The regulation was adopted on Thursday by a majority of EU countries at a meeting in Luxembourg. 

The new tariffs are set to enter into force by 1 July 2025 and will apply to goods that made up around 15% of all agricultural imports from Russia in 2023. In the case of fertilisers, the new tariffs will apply to certain nitrogen-based products. In 2023, the EU imported over 3.6 million tonnes of affected Russian fertilisers, valued at approximately EUR 1.28 billion (nearly USD 1.5 billion), making up more than 25% of the Union’s total fertiliser imports.

The increase in tariffs on fertilisers will be implemented gradually over a transition period of three years.  In addition to weakening Russia’s war economy, the new tariffs will help reduce the EU's dependence on Russia and Belarus, and will boost diversification and domestic production. It will allow for the diversification of supply, ensuring a stable fertiliser supply and, crucially, maintaining affordability for EU farmers. The EU will closely monitor its implementation to ensure that the EU fertiliser industry and farmers are protected. 

The plan for these tariffs was already brought forward 28 January 2025, as part of a broader EU effort of weakening Russia’s war economy, as well as that of third countries involved in the aggression against Ukraine. It also builds on previous trade actions, including the May 2024 introduction of higher tariffs on cereals, oilseeds, and other agricultural products from Russia and Belarus.

Michał Baranowski, Undersecretary of State at Poland’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, emphasized the broader geopolitical importance of the decision: “The Polish Presidency motto is ‘Security, Europe!’ and these measures increase our economic security by reducing dependencies from Russia. We are further reducing Russia’s export revenues and therefore its ability to finance its brutal war. This is united Europe at its best.”

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