19
May
2026
Watch
Presentation of the Fertilisers Action Plan (debate)
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the fertiliser crisis is first and foremost a fossil crisis, because that is their raw material. It is good, therefore, for the Commission to show that it can withstand the worst lobbying pressures. Finally. And all right, we can also discuss strategic storage, new suppliers, temporary aid or miraculous technologies that require huge investments, but, if we do not reduce dependence on fossil and synthetic fertilizers, we are simply preparing for the next crisis. Today, Europe imports 90% of gas and up to 45% of nitrogen fertilisers. It is this dependence that affects farmers and families. If we really want a resilient food system, we need to build autonomy through circular economy, nutrient recovery and especially agroecology. If we want to fight food poverty, then the problem is not just producing cheap food: These are literally starvation wages.