REUTERS

BRUSSELS — The European Union (EU) is open to lowering tariffs on US fertilizer imports as an offer in trade talks with the Trump administration, but will not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit of a deal, EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters.

“That is definitely an option,” Mr. Hansen said, of reducing US fertilizer tariffs.

“That will be on the table. And I think that would be a huge way forward, and an offer as well to the US,” he said in an interview with Reuters, adding that whether that would mean zero tariffs, or a reduction of current rates, would need to be negotiated.

US exports face the EU’s standard tariffs of 5.5% on imports of ammonia, and 6.5% on nitrogen fertilizer, as well as an extra 29.48 euro-per-ton anti-dumping duty on US urea ammonium nitrate (UAN).

UAN comprised around three quarters of EU imports of US fertilizer last year, EU trade data show.

Reducing tariffs could boost Europe’s purchases of US fertilizer, to fill a gap as the EU cuts supplies from Russia.

Around 24% of the EU’s nitrogen fertilizer imports came from Russia in 2023, while the US accounted for 8%, EU data show.

“I believe most of the Europeans would prefer buying fertilizer from the US than from Russia,” Mr. Hansen said.

The EU will hit nitrogen-based fertilizer from Russia with tariffs rising to 100% over three years, a level that would effectively halt annual trade flows currently worth 1.3 billion euros.

Mr. Hansen said the EU was also open to discussing increasing its purchases of hormone-free beef from the US, and a deal to have zero-for-zero tariffs on EU and US wines.

But he said the bloc would not compromise on its stringent food safety standards as it seeks a deal.

“I don’t see room for maneuver to roll back our high quality standards. But of course, on other points, on other products, we are very open to negotiations,” Mr. Hansen said. — Reuters

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR