Sudden supply disruptions and volatile prices have left farmers across Europe under heavy pressure and revealed how exposed the continent is to outside shocks in fertiliser supply. The Plan responds along three lines of work.

First, on direct help for farmers, the Commission will deliver exceptional aid through existing agricultural-policy instruments and propose a sizeable top-up of the agricultural reserve from the EU budget. This package, due before the summer, aims to give immediate liquidity relief ahead of the next production cycle. A follow-up legislative package will let Member States draw more fully on their CAP Strategic Plans, with a new liquidity scheme, more room for advance payments and stronger incentives to use fertilisers more efficiently. Further steps address nutrient management, nutrient-efficient farming, an expanded role for Farm Advisory Services, easier use of digestates under environmental safeguards, and clearer rules once the Nitrates Directive evaluation concludes.

Second, on domestic production and decarbonisation, the Commission wants to head off deindustrialisation, keep supplies stable and reduce import dependency. It will champion European alternatives - organic and bio-based fertilisers, algae biomass, soil enhancers, microbial solutions, biostimulants, and nitrogen and phosphorus recovered from sewage sludge. Under the coming Emission Trading Scheme review, any extra flexibility for the sector would be matched by commitments to decarbonise, lift output of bio-based and circular fertilisers, and keep home-grown products affordable. The Commission will also weigh incentives for carbon farming and removals, trim red tape and market barriers, build demand for sustainable fertilisers, simplify the handling of by-products under the Waste Framework Directive evaluation, and steer existing funds - cohesion funds in particular - towards biogas, biomethane and wastewater infrastructure for sludge valorisation and nutrient recovery.

Third, on transparency and preparedness, the Commission will set up an EU fertilisers value chain Partnership uniting producers, farmers and Member States, with a first policy dialogue in the coming months. It will sharpen market monitoring and early warning, propose a framework for regular data, and report on how Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and Emission Trading System costs reach fertiliser and food prices. The Fertilisers Market Observatory stays the central source of market intelligence. The Commission will additionally assess stockpiling options for key inputs, including seasonal or minimum stocks and possible joint procurement, and keep cooperating with candidate, neighbouring and partner countries to widen and diversify supply.

Underpinning all of this, fertilisers are central to farm productivity and food security and weigh heavily on production costs - so with sowing season near, farmers need supplies they can count on and afford, even as Europe works towards a more resilient and circular domestic industry. The Plan does not start from scratch: it carries forward measures the Commission has already put in place. These include a gentler CBAM calculation for fertilisers - a 1% markup rather than the 10% used elsewhere, climbing in stages to 30% for other sectors - alongside temporary duty-free quotas introduced in February 2026 for key nitrogen fertilisers and inputs such as ammonia and urea, a temporary State aid framework in April 2026, and a High-level Dialogue with stakeholders that fed directly into the Plan.

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