Posėdžio stenograma

Ketvirtadienis, 2023 m. vasario 16 d. - Strasbūras

11.5. Trąšų prieinamumas ES (B9-0101/2023)

Oral explanations of vote

  Clare Daly (The Left). – Mr President, I voted against this resolution. Fertilisers are vital to ensure the continuous production of food and feed in the EU and globally. But as Russia is the world’s principal supplier of fertilisers, the war and our response to it in imposing sanctions is threatening global food security and driving up food prices in Europe and abroad. Inflation is having a major impact on the European agricultural sector and the level of farmers’ income.

The Red Cross estimates that more than 145 million Africans are currently going hungry and millions more are facing acute food insecurity. Meanwhile, the largest fertiliser manufacturers have been making record profits. While EU sanctions don’t target agriculture, Western diplomats are very clear that they create a sense of legal uncertainty, which makes it harder for Russian companies to access funds, to cover transport costs and engage with European operators. We know almost a quarter of a million tonnes of fertilisers were frozen in November. This was lunacy. Later released, but only through negotiation and dialogue. This shows a way forward. We have to have people first, in this situation.

  Mick Wallace (The Left). – Mr President, decades of policies designed to promote the use of artificial fertilisers, instead of more resilient, sustainable farming methods, have exasperated farmers’ vulnerability to the fertiliser crisis. All actions taken to support farmers through the current crisis must be part of a long—term vision and strategy for the sustainability and resilience of this sector. We do not need a short—term kneejerk reaction which will fail to address the systemic issues surrounding fertilisers at the root causes of the difficulties facing farmers.

The EU’s reliance on imports of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers, and fossil gas for the manufacture of fertilisers, is a huge vulnerability. It should be addressed fundamentally and systematically, not simply by shifting to imports from other countries or injecting public money into the fertiliser industry.

  President. – That concludes the explanations of vote.