The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 21 Jan, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 Sep, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2021

Specific Details Fertiliser Crisis - EU Anti-Dumping Duties.

Intended results That the European Commission address the dysfunctional fertiliser market in Europe where manufacturers control production and farmers face spiralling fertiliser input costs. Anti-dumping duties imposed by the European Commission on some fertilisers have removed any meaningful competition from the market and left farmers facing some of the highest fertiliser prices globally. To highlight that according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, nitrogen fertiliser prices increased by 11% over the past 12 months to the end of July and, worryingly, appears set to continue to rise for the remainder of the year. This price rise is predominantly due to a surge in the price of natural gas in Europe. That the European Commission suspend the anti-dumping measure on UAN. This duty alone is costing European cereal farmers over €200m per year. To continuously highlight the lack of competition in the European fertiliser market, which is exacerbated by the Commission's decision to apply anti-dumping measures on nitrogen fertiliser imports, further restricting the market. To highlight that the margins earned by the European manufacturing industry in the last number of years are disproportionate to those earned outside Europe. To seek that Commission officials act immediately and initiate an investigation on the UAN anti-dumping duty. To welcome the decision by the European Commission to open an investigation into anti-dumping measures on the import of Urea-Ammonium Nitrate (UAN fertiliser) is a positive step towards addressing concerns from farmers across Europe regarding the highly protected EU fertiliser production sector. That the Commission will take the opportunity to rebalance the fertiliser market and make it fairer for farmers by abolishing all anti-dumping duties and import duties on fertilisers. To highlight anti-dumping issues in EU.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Liam MacHale IFA European Director, Max Potterton IFA Grain Executive, Mark Browne IFA Grain Committee Chair.

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (6-10)

Meeting (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke "Ming" Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)