The European Commission wants to make farmers less dependent on expensive and imported fertilizers. In the new Fertiliser Action Plan, presented on 19 May 2026, Brussels links short-term support for farmers to a broader change of course. Bio-based fertilizers, digestate from fermentation, and recovered nutrients from residual streams are to play a greater role.
High prices hit farmers directly
Fertilizer prices have risen sharply in recent years. In the last quarter of 2025, costs for European farmers were still 62 percent above 2020 levels. In April 2026, nitrogen fertilizers in the EU were 40 percent more expensive than in December 2025.
This development puts business operations under pressure. Farmers can use fewer fertilizers, which can have consequences for yields and quality. The Commission also points out that, at high prices, farmers can rely more heavily on nitrogen at the expense of phosphorus and potassium. In the long term, this could be detrimental to soil fertility.
Europe wants to become less vulnerable
The EU is heavily dependent on imports for various fertilizers and raw materials. 25 to 30 percent of European consumption of nitrogen fertilizers comes from abroad. For potassium fertilizers, this figure is 35 to 45 percent, and for phosphate fertilizers, approximately 70 percent. Natural gas also remains important, particularly for the production of nitrogen fertilizers.
The action plan must reduce that vulnerability. Brussels wants to strengthen European production, better spread supply, and accelerate the use of circular and low-fossil fertilizers. In doing so, the Commission is also looking at stocks of key fertilizers and raw materials to better absorb future shocks.
Digestate and nutrient recycling will play a greater role
An important part of the plan is the focus on organic and bio-based fertilizers. The Commission mentions, among others, nutrient recycling, phosphorus and nitrogen recovery, biogas and biomethane, digestate, algal biomass, and microbial solutions.
Digestate is the residual product remaining after the fermentation of organic material. According to Brussels, better utilization of this can contribute to a more circular fertilizer system. Wastewater, sludge, bio-waste, and other organic residual streams are also mentioned as sources for nutrient recovery.
New market for biobased fertilizers
Brussels wants to actively increase the demand for biobased fertilizers. The action plan states that such fertilizers could develop into a new market alongside traditional mineral fertilizers. The Commission therefore wants to develop clear definitions, simplify rules, and reduce trade barriers.
In a next step, the Commission intends to prepare measures to strengthen this market. These include blending obligations, labels, and other demand-driven instruments. Brussels is also looking at bottlenecks regarding fertilizers of animal origin and at rules for products from anaerobic digestion and composting.
The market is still fragmented
The market for alternative fertilizers is even less developed than that for conventional fertilizers. Biobased products face varying national regulations, longer authorization procedures, and obstacles regarding residual streams classified as waste. The Commission calls this a brake on broader application.
Funding must also help advance the sector. Brussels refers to existing European programs for innovation and scaling up. Projects concerning biobased fertilizers are already underway through Horizon Europe and Circular Bio-based Europe, among others.
In addition to support, also structural choices
The action plan contains measures intended to give farmers some breathing room in the short term. These include increased liquidity support, more flexible advance payments, and better insight into price developments and stocks.
At the same time, Brussels is clearly placing more emphasis on a fertilizer system that is less dependent on imports, fossil energy, and vulnerable international supply chains. Bio-based fertilizers, digestate, and nutrients from residual streams are playing a greater role in this.
Source: agriculture.ec.europa.eu
Photo: Meriç Tuna, Pexels
