European Union member states have agreed a joint position on emergency support for farmers hit by surging fertiliser prices, paving the way for fast-tracked talks with the European Parliament.
The deal, struck in the Council of the European Union on June 17, would let national governments grant temporary, targeted subsidies to the farms worst affected by rising production costs.
It would also allow member states to bring forward and increase advance payments of EU farm support in 2026 and to adapt certain direct payments in 2027 according to national needs.
The measures would be funded from existing Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budgets and would be temporary, a response to current market conditions, the Council said.
Maria Panayiotou, Cyprus’ agriculture minister, whose country holds the rotating Council presidency this half of the year, said member states would now work with the European Parliament to adopt the text quickly.
“The Council has acted swiftly to help farmers facing rising fertiliser costs,” she said. “We will now work closely with the European Parliament to deliver this support without delay.”
The European Commission tabled the proposal on June 12 as part of a wider package responding to the impact of the Middle East crisis on agricultural input markets.
Brussels has argued that fertiliser costs remain far above pre-crisis levels and continue to squeeze the profitability and cash flow of farms across the bloc.
Nitrogen fertiliser prices in the EU were around 70 per cent higher in April 2026 than the 2024 average, according to the Commission, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in Iran adding fresh pressure on global supplies.
The proposal forms part of the Commission’s Fertiliser Action Plan, under which it has pledged €540 million in financial relief, including a €300 million top-up to the farm crisis reserve in the 2026 EU budget.
Member states would be able to add national funds of up to 200 per cent, potentially raising the total available to €1.5 billion.
The Parliament agreed on June 16 to handle the file under its urgent procedure, a sign that both institutions want a first-reading deal without delay.
Once formally adopted, the regulation would enter into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, allowing governments to activate the aid immediately.
