On 19 May, the European Commission adopted a new Fertilizer Action Plan aimed at supporting farmers facing rising input costs, strengthening domestic production, and reducing Europe’s dependency on imported fertilizers. Presented as part of the EU’s broader strategy for food security and strategic autonomy, the initiative combines short-term support measures with longer-term actions focused on resilience, decarbonization, and circularity.
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The Action Plan responds to recent disruptions and price volatility in Europe’s fertilizer supply chain, which have revealed underlying vulnerabilities. Building on the Commission’s 2022 Fertilizers Communication, the new framework seeks to ensure the availability and affordability of fertilizers while supporting climate and environmental objectives.
Support for farmers is a central pillar of the initiative. The Commission plans to allocate additional resources under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including reinforcement of the agricultural reserve and new liquidity mechanisms to help farmers manage high production costs ahead of future sowing seasons. The package also foresees greater flexibility for CAP payments and stronger incentives for nutrient-efficient farming practices, including reduced fertilizer use, improved nutrient management, and increased uptake of bio-based fertilizers.
At the industrial level, the Action Plan seeks to reinforce Europe’s domestic fertilizer production capacity and avoid further deindustrialization. The Commission highlights the importance of scaling up alternatives to conventional mineral fertilizers, including organic and bio-based products, digestates, microbial solutions, algae-based inputs, biostimulants, and nutrient recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge. These measures are intended to support both supply security and the transition toward a more circular fertilizer economy.
The Commission also confirmed that the upcoming revision of the European Union Fertilizing Products Regulation will assess the feasibility of creating a more integrated Single Market for fertilizers. This could help reduce fragmentation between EU-harmonized products and national fertilizer rules. Additionally, the upcoming revision will include a review of cadmium limits for phosphate fertilizers, with a report expected in the third quarter of 2026 examining health and environmental impacts, technical feasibility, affordability, and security of supply considerations.
On trade policy, the Commission reaffirmed its commitment to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, confirming that fertilizers will remain covered under the system. At the same time, it signaled willingness to adapt the mechanism to better support the competitiveness of the EU fertilizer industry while limiting strategic dependencies.
Finally, the Action Plan places strong emphasis on improving market transparency and enhancing stakeholder coordination. A new EU Fertilizers Value Chain Partnership will bring together producers, farmers, and Member States to improve dialogue, strengthen market monitoring, and explore preparedness measures such as stockpiling and joint procurement mechanisms.
Overall, the Fertilizer Action Plan reflects the EU’s effort to balance agricultural competitiveness, industrial resilience, environmental sustainability, and strategic autonomy within a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic context.
More information available at:
European Commission press release: link