Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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840. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 19 July 2016, the further consultation he has had with the European Commissioner or with other member states in relation to the need to abolish EU tariffs on the import of fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27465/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Difficulties on agricultural markets continue to be experienced by farmers across the EU. The Commission and Member States have responded with packages of support measures, most recently at the end of July 2016 when, among other measures, a €500 million fund was agreed, with a particular emphasis on the dairy sector. The package includes a €350 million conditional adjustment aid measure to be implemented by Member States - from which Ireland will receive €11.1m - and a €150 million EU-wide measure to support voluntary reduction in milk production.  Welcome as these measures are, I believe we must continue to deploy any and all available options that might help to mitigate the effects of the market difficulties. Such options include measures that will help to reduce production costs for farmers.

As I indicated previously, according to Eurostat, fertiliser is the third most important expenditure item on EU farms, accounting for €19.2bn in 2014.  I believe that appropriate action in this area could be of significant benefit to farmers at this very difficult time, and in addition to the many other measures that have been considered in recent months, I have asked the Commission to consider a temporary suspension of import tariffs on fertilisers. Commissioner Hogan has raised the issue with Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici, and Internal Market Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, and has been following up with those colleagues in an effort to secure their agreement to possible changes.

I am continuing to pursue the matter with the Commission in consultation with my Member State counterparts.