The EU adopts new customs taxes on agricultural and fertilizer imports from Russia and Belarus
The EU imposes customs duties. Photo credit: Michele Ursi / Alamy / Profimedia
The Council of the European Union on Thursday adopted new customs duties on agricultural products and imported chemical fertilizers from Russia and Belarus, measure that will enter into force on July 1, while by a separate decision of the Council, the equivalence with the EU requirements for some imports of agricultural seeds from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova has been granted.
This will increase by 50% the customs fees charged by the EU states for agricultural products in Russia and Belarus, which are not yet subject to additional customs duties, such as sugar, vinegar, flour and feed, reports EFE and DPA, quoted by Agerpres.
Once the measure will enter into force on July 1, all Russian agricultural imports will be subject to customs duties, the objective being to reduce Russia's export revenues and thus limit its ability to finance its war in Ukraine.
Most Russian agricultural products are already subject to customs duties in the EU, but once the new measure is implemented, about 15% of EU agricultural imports will be charged.
The same initiative also concerns the imposition of a 6.5% customs duty on the EU imported chemical fertilizers in Russia and Belarus, a tax that will increase progressively in the coming years. Fertilizers that will be charged represent about a quarter of EU imports of such products at the year 2023.
Russia believes that it will be able to reorient to other markets for its exports of chemical fertilizers, given the high demand for this product.
The EU, instead, facilitates imports of agricultural seeds from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova
Also, the EU Council, which brings together Member States, voted on Thursday to grant EU equivalence for a series of agricultural seeds imported from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
This decision concerns in particular the beet seeds, sunflower, rapeseed and soy products and certificates in Ukraine and the seeds of fodder plants produced in the Republic of Moldova and officially certified by the authorities of these countries.
The equivalence confirms that the national procedures of both countries offer the same guarantees regarding the seed characteristics and the examination, identification and control of the seeds with those applicable to the seeds provided by the EU countries.
The decision will facilitate the imports of these products from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and will allow companies from the EU to expand their seed production in these two countries.
