European Parliament committee approves 50% tariff on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus
The European Parliament's Committee on International Trade has supported the European Commission's proposal to increase duties on certain agricultural goods from Russia and Belarus by 50%. The European Parliament's press service reported this.
The goal of such actions is to reduce the EU's dependence on agricultural exports from Russia and Belarus.
Thus, duties will be increased by 50% on those agricultural Russian and Belarusian goods that are not currently subject to other customs duties. In particular, the new tariffs will affect sugar, vinegar, flour, and animal feed.
The approved proposal also includes a 6.5% tariff on fertilizers imported from Russia and Belarus, plus 40-45 euros per ton for the period 2025-2026. The latter duties will increase to 430 euros per ton by 2028.
The European Parliament emphasizes that profits from the export of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers directly contribute to financing the war against Ukraine. Imports of such fertilizers in 2024 increased significantly compared to last year.
"This decision to gradually increase customs duties on goods from Russia and Belarus will help prevent Russia from using the EU market to finance its war machine. It is unacceptable that three years after Russia launched a full-scale war, the EU is still buying critical products in large quantities," said Inese Weidere, the European Parliament's standing rapporteur on Russia.
The proposal will be put to a vote by the European Parliament during a plenary session in Brussels on Thursday, May 22.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that a new package of sanctions against Russia could be adopted at the EU Council meeting in Brussels on May 20.
- The EU and its allies, including the United Kingdom, are discussing the possibility of introducing the toughest economic measures against Russia to date – up to and including a full trade embargo.
