The European Parliament approved today with a convincing majority an increase in tariffs on agricultural products and fertilizers from Russia and Belarus. The decision was supported by eight Bulgarian MEPs, while the three representatives of "Vazrazhdane" voted against and five abstained, BNR reported.
The vote in Brussels ended with a result of 411 votes "for", 100 "against" and 78 "abstains". Among the Bulgarian MEPs who supported the measure are five of the six representatives of the European People's Party, two of the three Euroliberals from the "Renew Europe" group and one of the two independents.
The new regulation provides for 6.5 percent duties on fertilizers imported from Russia and Belarus, plus additional duties between 40 and 45 euros per ton for the period 2025-2026. The most drastic thing is that by 2028 these duties will increase to 430 euros per tonne, which will practically block the import of these products.
"The regulation on the gradual increase of duties on products from Russia and Belarus will help prevent Russia from using the EU market to finance its military machine," said Inese Vaidere, the standing rapporteur on Russia in the European Parliament.
For agricultural products such as sugar, vinegar, flour and feed, the duties will increase by 50 percent. It is believed that the revenues from the sale of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers contribute directly to the financing of the war against Ukraine.
According to the European Commission, EU imports of urea and nitrogen fertilizers from Russia, which were already high in 2023, will increase significantly in 2024. This creates an economic dependency that could harm the EU's food security and make the Union vulnerable to coercive measures by Russia.
This is the first reading of the regulation in the European Parliament. To enter into force, the document must also be approved by the European Council. After final approval, the regulation will be published in the Official Journal before it can be applied.
The legislation also tasks the European Commission with monitoring price increases and possible damage to the EU's internal market or agricultural sector, and taking action to mitigate the impact if necessary.