Brussels, May 25 -- The European Commission has failed to offer a viable alternative to supplies of Russian and Belarusian fertilisers, according to Copa and Cogeca, Europe's largest association of agricultural producers.
This criticism comes as the European Parliament recently approved new protective duties on agricultural imports and fertilisers from Russia and Belarus, despite widespread protests from farmers concerned about a sharp rise in prices.
On Thursday, MEPs voted by a majority to introduce the new duties, which are set to be phased in from July 1 over a period of three years. This decision has sparked alarm within the farming community, which warns of severe consequences for their competitiveness and the future of European agr...