BRUSSELS, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida asked the European Commission on Wednesday to exempt fertilizers from import levies in a bid to help farmers compete
Italy Pushes for Fertilizer Tariff Exemption in EU Talks
BRUSSELS, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida asked the European Commission on Wednesday to exempt fertilizers from import levies in a bid to help farmers compete with farm produce from South American bloc Mercosur.
"The alarming market situation suggests a suspensive clause on the CBAM (carbon border levy) should be activated as soon as possible," he said in a letter to European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen, ahead of a meeting of EU agriculture ministers to discuss a proposed free trade agreement with Mercosur.
"In the immediate future, however, I would consider it appropriate to adopt a parallel measure to the benefit of our farmers through the elimination of duties on fertilizers imported from third countries," Lollobrigida said.
He added he hoped the Wednesday meeting could break the deadlock on Mercosur deal.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Philip Blenkinsop)
