BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / EuroWire / — The European Union has set out a new fertiliser action plan aimed at improving supply security, easing cost pressures on farmers and reducing exposure to import disruptions after recent volatility in energy and fertiliser markets. The plan, adopted by the European Commission, combines short-term farmer support with measures to expand domestic production, increase use of circular fertilisers and improve monitoring of market risks across the bloc.
The initiative comes as European farmers continue to face high input costs, with fertilisers closely linked to natural gas prices and global trade flows. EU officials have identified fertiliser affordability and availability as central issues for food security, farm incomes and the competitiveness of agricultural production. The plan is designed to address immediate liquidity pressures while supporting longer-term changes in how nutrients are produced, traded and used in Europe.
Under the plan, Brussels will prepare exceptional financial support for farmers most affected by fertiliser costs and market disruptions. It also intends to introduce a liquidity scheme to help farmers manage input purchases, encourage more efficient nutrient use and support wider application of digestate, a nutrient-rich byproduct of organic waste treatment and biogas production that can reduce reliance on mineral fertilisers.
Supply measures
The programme includes steps to reinforce the EU fertiliser industry by supporting investment, innovation and production of low-carbon, bio-based and circular fertilisers. The bloc also plans to remove barriers that limit market access for alternative nutrient products, while directing relevant funding tools toward modernisation of production facilities and development of cleaner fertiliser technologies.
A fertilisers value chain partnership will bring together producers, farmers, member states and other stakeholders to improve coordination and transparency. The mechanism is intended to track availability, affordability and supply risks more closely, while giving policymakers clearer information on potential bottlenecks affecting farmers and manufacturers. The European Commission has also indicated that preparedness tools may include strategic stock management where appropriate under EU rules.
Import exposure
The plan reflects the EU’s continuing dependence on external fertiliser suppliers, including nitrogen, phosphate and potash products used across crop production. Russia remained one of the bloc’s largest fertiliser suppliers in 2025, although its share of extra-EU fertiliser imports declined compared with earlier years. Egypt and Morocco were also major sources of fertiliser imports, underscoring the importance of diversified supply routes and stable trade access for European agriculture.
EU policy already includes tariffs and controls on certain fertilisers from Russia and Belarus, covering nitrogen-based, phosphate and potash products. Those measures are intended to reduce dependence on imports from those countries over time while maintaining availability for farmers during the transition. The fertiliser action plan adds domestic production, circular nutrient use and emergency farm support to that wider framework for securing agricultural inputs.