On Tuesday, 26 May, EU Member States will discuss agriculture-related trade issues and the availability of fertilisers within the EU during the meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels, Belgium.
Member States will hear an update from the European Commission (EC) on current EU external trade matters in the agricultural sector. Discussions are expected to cover the EU’s bilateral trade relations, progress in negotiations on new free trade agreements, and developments within the World Trade Organization. The agenda also includes issues related to imports from Russia and Belarus.
Member States will also exchange views on the situation in the EU fertiliser market. Against the backdrop of rising energy costs, disruptions to global supply chains, and the impact of geopolitical developments on the fertiliser market, ministers will discuss possible short-, medium-, and long-term measures to support farmers, strengthen the resilience of food systems, and ensure the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
The discussion will also assess whether the measures proposed in the EC’s 2022 Communication on ensuring the availability and affordability of fertilisers remain suitable under current circumstances, as well as what additional solutions may be needed to reduce pressure on farmers’ production costs and promote more stable fertiliser supplies.
Meanwhile, on the morning of Monday, 25 May, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economics Jurģis Miezainis (while Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis is temporarily performing the duties of Minister for Agriculture) communicated with Latvia’s representatives to the EU and the European Commission to emphasise the need to closely monitor the implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and the four Mercosur countries — Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay — while safeguarding the interests of Latvian farmers and food producers.
Although the agreement aims to facilitate and strengthen trade relations between the EU and the Mercosur countries, any opening of the EU market to South American agricultural products must be accompanied by effective safeguards for local farmers, strict monitoring of the agreement’s implementation, and fair trading conditions. Otherwise, the agreement risks creating new challenges for rural communities in Latvia and other EU Member States rather than promoting balanced free trade. If the EU opens its market, it must also ensure that Latvian farmers do not become subject to the consequences of global trade compromises.
The meeting also highlighted the need for the Ministry of Agriculture to continue advocating for the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian fish products and fertilisers on the EU sanctions list, as higher import duties are considered an effective way to reduce imports of agricultural and fisheries products from aggressor states into the EU.
