OpenLobby.EU
Explore

YARA BELGIUM S.A.

YARA BELGIUM S.A.

Yara is a global crop nutrition company specializing in fertilizers and clean ammonia.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Johannes Ten Broeke (Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra), Matthieu Moulonguet (Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra)

15 Jan 2026 · Exchange on fertilisers and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

Meeting with Denis Redonnet (Deputy Director-General Trade)

14 Jan 2026 · Yara's international concerns

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Commissioner) and

4 Dec 2025 · Industrial Accelerator Act

Meeting with Brigitte Misonne (Acting Director Agriculture and Rural Development)

27 Nov 2025 · Technologies to reduce carbon footprint in livestock production

Meeting with Heiko Kunst (Head of Unit Climate Action)

7 Nov 2025 · Exchange of views on upcoming Commission proposal to address carbon leakage risks related to exports.

Meeting with Nicolás González Casares (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Nov 2025 · Hydrogen production for fertilizer

Meeting with Philippe Lamberts (Principal Adviser Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action)

6 Nov 2025 · Upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act

Meeting with Elisabeth Werner (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

30 Oct 2025 · Introductory meeting and discussion on market situation of fertilisers

Meeting with Wopke Hoekstra (Commissioner) and

28 Oct 2025 · High Level Dialogue with Industry executives on the implementation of CBAM

Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President) and

28 Oct 2025 · High Level Dialogue with Industry executives on the implementation of CBAM.

Fertilizer Giant Yara Seeks Easier Rules for Waste Recycling

21 Oct 2025
Topic — EU Circular Economy Act aims to boost recycled materials and circular business models.
Message — Yara requests expanding by-product classifications to include materials needing limited processing, using REACH registrations as pathway for End of Waste recognition, and applying mutual recognition across Member States. They want thresholds so incorporating recycled feedstock below 25% avoids full waste-facility requirements.1234
Why — This would enable more efficient recycling of materials like phosphogypsum and reduce administrative burdens.56
Impact — Environmental oversight weakens if materials needing processing bypass waste controls and safety checks.7
Read full response

Meeting with Ewa Malz (Head of Unit Environment)

16 Oct 2025 · Omnibus

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Oct 2025 · EU Energy and industry policy

Yara urges EU to simplify fertiliser rules and recognize low-carbon products

18 Sept 2025
Topic — Evaluation of EU regulation governing fertilising products, safety standards, and market access.
Message — Yara requests simplified conformity procedures for low-risk products, faster approval of recycled materials, clearer legal definitions, and regulatory recognition for low-carbon fertilisers. They want the regulation reopened to enable these improvements.123
Why — This would reduce compliance costs and create market demand for their low-carbon fertiliser products.45
Read full response

Yara Urges Stronger EU Funding for Clean Maritime Fuels

4 Sept 2025
Topic — EU plan to boost investment in renewable and low-carbon transport fuels.
Message — Yara wants significant new de-risking mechanisms like contracts-for-difference and double-sided auctions with predictable volumes. They demand substantial EU funding pooled with Member States to bridge cost gaps and provide investor certainty. They emphasize rapid implementation is critical.123
Why — This would provide bankable demand certainty needed for major renewable fuel projects.4
Impact — Competitors using transitional fuels like LNG lose as clean fuel mandates tighten.5
Read full response

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament)

3 Sept 2025 · Defense industry

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament) and Gasgrid Finland Oy

2 Jul 2025 · EU Energy and industry policy

Response to Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act

26 Jun 2025

We welcome the initiative to establish green lead markets as a key pillar of the Clean Industrial Deal. Without sufficient demand for low-carbon products, it is not economically feasible for energy-intensive industries to decarbonize. This is also true for the ammonia and fertilizer sector where the hydrogen production step makes the production energy-intensive. Grey hydrogen accounts for 80-85% of the variable production cost of ammonia. Switching to more sustainable production methods is possible but comes with a significantly higher cost: renewable hydrogen is 3-8 times and low-carbon hydrogen 2-3 times more expensive. Today the supply of low-carbon fertilizers is expected while this cost increase is not compensated further down in the agri-food value chain, leading to a market failure. Maritime policy, by contrast, addresses the full value chain; FuelEUMaritime successfully stimulates demand even with modest targets. A comprehensive decarbonization strategy is also needed for the food industry. Barriers to scaling low-carbon fertilizer adoption stem from value chain dynamics. Farmers, either directly or via agricooperatives, are the main purchasers of fertilizers, and their buying choices shape the market. Fertilizers make a sizeable share of their production costs, resulting to price sensitivity. Farmers cannot switch farming practices without being fairly compensated for it. Meanwhile, for crop processors and food companies/retailers, GHG reductions are currently driven by voluntary commitments. Finally, final consumers cannot prioritize low-carbon food in their purchase decisions as they do not have the visibility to which food products have lower carbon footprint. However, the potential is there because a study with our partner shows that the price increase for the final consumer of buying a loaf of bread with a lower carbon footprint can be as low as few eurocents. A parallel can be drawn to the organic food market that exists due to harmonized labelling, even if the relative price increase for organic food products is higher than what it would be for lower-carbon food. To succeed in creating a lead market for food and agriculture, IDAA needs to take a sectorial and integrated approach targeting different value chain stages. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. For example, while public procurement might drive green lead markets for certain industries, for agriculture this is not a silver bullet, as public procurement of food only represents a minimal share of overall consumption and can therefore only have a marginal effect. Instead, a mix of measures targeting different value chain stages is the fairest and most cost-efficient way to decarbonize. First, harmonized certification is needed to distinguish low-carbon products from conventional ones and provide visibility across the value chain. For fertilizers this could be done by adding a new category for low-carbon fertilizers under the Fertilising Product Regulation that already sets labelling requirements for different fertilizers sold in the EU. While certification itself does not create a market, it enables other market pull measures. Second, support for farmers is vital, as they are among the most vulnerable actors in the food value chain. Mechanisms such as eco-schemes under the CAP or enhanced scopes for Producer Organisations (POs) could incentivize the use of low-carbon fertilizers and support crop-specific decarbonization efforts while ensuring fair remuneration for farmers. Finally, gradual obligations or incentives for crop processors to adopt low-carbon fertilizers would significantly scale adoption and address emissions effectively across the value chain. This could be achieved via private procurement schemes, tax breaks or very modest targets. Our recommendations, detailed in the attached file, propose a combination of the above mentioned measures to help create a viable market for lower-carbon fertilizers.
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges EU bioeconomy strategy recognition

23 Jun 2025
Topic — EU strategy for circular, regenerative bioeconomy using sustainable biomass and biological resources.
Message — Yara requests explicit recognition of fertilizers' role in the bioeconomy strategy and regulatory changes to enable nutrient recycling. They want streamlined End-of-Waste procedures and incentives for low-carbon fertilizers through CAP or industrial policy.1234
Why — This would support their domestic fertilizer production and create market incentives for their low-carbon products.567
Impact — Competing fertilizer exporters outside Europe lose market access as EU reduces import dependency.8
Read full response

Meeting with Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea (Director Environment)

18 Jun 2025 · Exchange of views on Circular Economy Act

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Jun 2025 · Cohesion policy midterm review

Meeting with Alexandre Paquot (Director Climate Action)

11 Jun 2025 · Industrial Decarbonisation

Meeting with Alisa Tiganj (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen), Pawel Wisniewski (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen)

28 May 2025 · The views of YARA on the Vision for Agriculture and Food and the future of the CAP

Meeting with Fabien Santini (Head of Unit Agriculture and Rural Development)

22 May 2025 · Meeting with Yara on the role of producer organisations in decarbonisation within the value chain

Meeting with Aurelijus Veryga (Member of the European Parliament)

20 May 2025 · Reducing import dependency to strengthen EU agriculture and food security

Meeting with Ilaria Flores Martin (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall)

12 May 2025 · Crop nutrition

Meeting with Felicia Stanescu (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto)

7 Apr 2025 · Vision for Agriculture and Food, fertilizers

Meeting with Pierre Bascou (Deputy Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

7 Apr 2025 · Discussion on YARA's Collaboration with PepsiCo Europe and challenges in scaling-up decarbonisation in fertiliser and agri?food production.

Fertilizer giant Yara backs EU taxonomy simplification reforms

26 Mar 2025
Topic — Amendments to EU Taxonomy framework to reduce reporting complexity and costs.
Message — Yara supports simplified turnover reporting for multi-step manufacturing, voluntary reporting columns except where alignment is disclosed, and a 10% materiality threshold per activity. They also want deletion of pollution prevention criteria that exceed REACH requirements.1234
Why — This would simplify their complex chemical manufacturing reporting and reduce compliance burdens.56
Impact — Investors lose detailed transparency on which specific environmental objectives companies actually meet.7
Read full response

Meeting with Gerassimos Thomas (Director-General Taxation and Customs Union)

26 Mar 2025 · Physical meeting - Exchange of views on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President) and

21 Mar 2025 · - Marché intérieur - Compétitivité - Sécurité économique - Simplification - Relation USA / Europe

Meeting with Joan Canton (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

19 Mar 2025 · Exchange on decarbonisation pathway for the fertilizers sector, role of CCS

Meeting with Vilija Sysaite (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and Fertilizers Europe

18 Mar 2025 · Challenges of the ammonia-based fertiliser industry and need of a sector-specific strategy.

Meeting with Oliver Schenk (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

14 Mar 2025 · Soil Monitoring Law

Meeting with Stefan Köhler (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Mar 2025 · Politischer Austausch

Meeting with Jeannette Baljeu (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Mar 2025 · CCS

Meeting with Jessika Van Leeuwen (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Mar 2025 · Import of Russian Fertilizers

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Mar 2025 · Fertilizers

Meeting with Giorgio Gori (Member of the European Parliament) and FERROVIE DELLO STATO ITALIANE S.p.A. and TIM S.p.A.

11 Mar 2025 · Presentation of priorities

Meeting with Jörgen Warborn (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Feb 2025 · Russia

Meeting with Aleksandra Baranska (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez), Terhi Lehtonen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez) and

20 Feb 2025 · To hear interest representatives’ view on the state of play of fertilizer production in Europe.

Meeting with Karin Karlsbro (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2025 · Beroende av ryska gödningsmedel

Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

23 Jan 2025 · Charting the future of European green competitiveness.

Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

23 Jan 2025 · Discussion on energy supply for fertiliser production in Europe and the supply of other raw materials needed.

Meeting with Christophe Hansen (Commissioner) and

9 Jan 2025 · European agriculture, competitiveness, resilience and sustainability

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament)

8 Jan 2025 · Fertilizers sector and decarbonation

Response to Digital Product Passport (DPP) service providers

10 Dec 2024

It is essential that DPP Service Providers use standardized formats and protocols to ensure interoperability across different sectors and support operational flexibility. This will facilitate seamless integration and data exchange, reducing the burden on manufacturers to comply with varying requirements while ensuring compliance. Additionally, it is important that there is flexibility in the data carrier to be used to access the DPP, as we have found that certain data carriers do not work on packaging of our products. Secondly, the importance of robust data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information cannot be overstated. Although this is mentioned in the regulation text, we continue to stress its significance as it is vital to ensure consumer trust and compliance. Thirdly, a balanced approach that considers both environmental benefits and economic impacts is necessary when establishing rules for DPP service providers. The Delegated Act should support sustainable practices without imposing excessive costs or operational burden on businesses. The introduction of DPPs is an additional layer of regulatory compliance on top of information compliance measures that already exist for Fertilizer Products (Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 (FPR), Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH), Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (CLP)). Existing information pathways should be leveraged to the extent possible for populating information in the DPP to prevent duplication of efforts.
Read full response

Meeting with Gerassimos Thomas (Director-General Taxation and Customs Union)

6 Dec 2024 · Video-call - Exchange on CBAM

Meeting with Oliver Schenk (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

31 Oct 2024 · Soil Monitoring Law

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Oct 2024 · Wasserstoff

Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

17 Oct 2024 · Discussion with Yara International CEO Svein Tore Holsether on decarbonization of fertilizers, food & shipping.

Meeting with Marco Squarta (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Sept 2024 · General introduction and future strategies

Meeting with Valérie Hayer (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Sept 2024 · Fertilisers

Meeting with Hildegard Bentele (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Sept 2024 · Hydrogen Policy

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and Fertilizers Europe and Grupa Azoty Spółka Akcyjna

23 May 2024 · Imports into the EU of Russian fertilizers, Export duties on Russian fertilizers, EU food security

Meeting with Elina Melngaile (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis), Miriam Garcia Ferrer (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and

23 Apr 2024 · - Imports of Russian fertilizers - Food security

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and

15 Apr 2024 · Meeting WEF CEO Action Group for the European Green Deal

Meeting with Christophe Grudler (Member of the European Parliament)

29 Feb 2024 · Politique agricole de l'UE

Meeting with Daniel Mes (Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra)

23 Feb 2024 · The Industrial Carbon Management Strategy and measures to foster a market for low-carbon product; Reaching the RED III green hydrogen target in industry

Meeting with Maria Spyraki (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Feb 2024 · Discussion about hydrogen and fertilizer

Meeting with Francisco Guerreiro (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

7 Dec 2023 · fertilizers and digital labelling

Meeting with Roxana Lesovici (Cabinet of Commissioner Adina Vălean)

23 Nov 2023 · CO2-free shipping fuels and port infrastructure

Meeting with Annie Schreijer-Pierik (Member of the European Parliament)

22 Nov 2023 · Soil monitoring law

Meeting with Ljudmila Novak (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

21 Nov 2023 · Meeting on Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Environmental Bureau and

15 Nov 2023 · Soil Health Law

Meeting with Beatrice Covassi (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and European Environmental Bureau and

15 Nov 2023 · Public Hearing - Soil Monitoring Law

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

7 Nov 2023 · Soil monitoring legislation

Meeting with Ruud Kempener (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

27 Oct 2023 · Presentation of YARA current projects in Europe

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament) and Too Good To Go

29 Sept 2023 · Green Deal

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

12 Sept 2023 · European Hydrogen Bank

Yara Seeks Longer Assessment Period for EU ETS Efficiency Rankings

1 Sept 2023
Topic — EU regulation on climate-neutrality plans for free emission allowances under ETS.
Message — Yara requests using a longer data period than 2016/2017 to assess climate neutrality plan obligations, arguing the two-year window can unfairly penalize efficient installations. They suggest using National Implementation Measures data from the phase 4 application process instead. They also want conditionality checks applied only to sub-installations, not entire facilities.123
Why — This protects their free emission allowances from being cut due to temporary performance issues.4
Impact — Climate ambition loses as genuinely inefficient installations may avoid submitting improvement plans.
Read full response

Yara urges EU to support blue hydrogen and CCS infrastructure

31 Aug 2023
Topic — EU strategy for carbon capture, utilisation and storage deployment by 2050.
Message — Yara requests equal support for all CO2 transport modes, not just pipelines, and flexibility in decarbonization pathways. They argue blue hydrogen and CCS can reduce emissions faster than full electrification. They want guarantee schemes protecting early movers from lock-in while enabling future fuel switching.1234
Why — This would enable faster emission cuts from existing ammonia plants at lower cost.567
Impact — Renewable energy producers lose potential demand from full electrification of ammonia production.8
Read full response

Yara Urges Sector-Specific Innovation Fund Calls for Ammonia

7 Aug 2023
Topic — EU Innovation Fund reforms introducing competitive bidding for climate innovation projects.
Message — Yara wants dedicated Innovation Fund calls specifically for low-carbon and green ammonia production. They emphasize prioritizing large-scale projects with higher decarbonization potential and financial risk. The company also requests simplified application procedures and cumulation of EU and national funding support.123
Why — This would unlock public funding for their large-scale ammonia decarbonization projects.45
Impact — Smaller innovative projects lose funding priority to established large-scale technologies.67
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges hydrogen production support in Net-Zero Act

16 Jun 2023
Topic — EU regulation to strengthen manufacturing of net-zero technology products and equipment.
Message — Yara requests adding clean hydrogen production as an explicit goal and net-zero manufacturing category. They want hydrogen projects eligible for streamlined permitting and strategic project status. They also seek support for integrating technologies in industrial settings and government schemes for infrastructure projects.123
Why — This would secure streamlined permitting, priority status and financing for their hydrogen projects.45
Impact — Taxpayers bear costs of subsidizing energy-intensive industry's transition and operating expenses.6
Read full response

Yara urges broader digital labelling scope for fertilisers

27 May 2023
Topic — EU proposal to allow partial voluntary digital labelling of fertilising products.
Message — Yara requests including more mandatory label elements in digital format, particularly instructions for intended use. They want flexibility to use novel electronic digital solutions beyond basic QR codes.123
Why — This would reduce their label management costs and speed products to market.45
Impact — Farmers and authorities lose guaranteed physical access to essential product information.6
Read full response

Yara urges market-based electricity reforms over mandatory PPAs

23 May 2023
Topic — EU reform of electricity market design to reduce gas price impact and support energy transition.
Message — Yara requests that PPAs remain voluntary alongside liquid forward markets and carefully designed CfDs. They argue PPAs present multiple barriers for industrial consumers with baseload needs and cannot alone deliver competitive conditions. The company calls for technology-neutral adequacy mechanisms and priority access to renewable capacity for hard-to-abate industries.123
Why — This would reduce electricity costs for their decarbonization plans requiring substantially increased decarbonized electricity.45
Impact — Renewable developers lose guaranteed offtakers if priority access goes to heavy industry.6
Read full response

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and

24 Apr 2023 · Future EU hydrogen market and the EU hydrogen bank

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

24 Apr 2023 · Future EU hydrogen market and the EU hydrogen bank

Meeting with Irène Tolleret (Member of the European Parliament) and Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles and

1 Mar 2023 · Politique agricole commune

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

19 Jan 2023 · EU tackling soil pollution and upcoming EU Healthy Soils Proposal

Meeting with Agne Razmislaviciute-Palioniene (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

23 Nov 2022 · Exchanging of views on topics: • Pathways to reduce nutrient losses in Europe • Soil health and the contribution of balanced plant nutrition • How Yara supports farmers in Ukraine in this time of war

Yara urges EU to scrap restrictive fertilizer packaging and concentration limits

24 Oct 2022
Topic — EU rules defining when animal by-products in fertilizers no longer require official controls.
Message — Yara requests deleting or reformulating rules regarding packaging size and ingredient concentrations to reflect market realities. They argue that current limits on content and bag size are counterproductive and burdensome.12
Why — This allows Yara to maintain efficient bulk distribution and avoid product dilution costs.34
Impact — Farmers face higher costs and logistical burdens from smaller, less effective fertilizer packaging.56
Read full response

Meeting with Cristina Rueda Catry (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

21 Oct 2022 · Fertilizers production and market situation, in the EU and globally

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and

19 Oct 2022 · Upcoming communication about fertilizers - EU Fertiliser strategy

Meeting with Peter Power (Cabinet of Commissioner Mairead Mcguinness)

7 Jul 2022 · Discussion on commitment to sustainable food production, manufacturing climate-friendly crop nutrition solutions and achieving zero-emission energy targets.

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

13 Jun 2022 · Sustainable food systems

Meeting with Franc Bogovič (Member of the European Parliament)

8 Jun 2022 · Meeting on green energy transition

Meeting with Irène Tolleret (Member of the European Parliament)

3 Jun 2022 · farm to fork

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament)

20 May 2022 · Green Deal

Meeting with Joanna Stawowy (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski)

13 May 2022 · Delivering on the Farm to Fork objectives

Yara urges EU to prioritize nutrient efficiency over usage cuts

26 Apr 2022
Topic — The EU is developing an action plan to manage nutrients and reduce pollution.
Message — Yara recommends adopting efficiency metrics rather than volume-based reduction targets for fertilizers. They also want the EU to provide financial incentives for farmers to use precision agriculture technology.123
Why — Efficiency-based targets allow Yara to protect its core fertilizer business while promoting its digital services.45
Impact — Environmental groups lose if the EU avoids setting hard limits on total chemical fertilizer use.6
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges flexible hydrogen thresholds in EU gas rules

12 Apr 2022
Topic — EU regulation on market access for renewable and low-carbon gases and hydrogen.
Message — Yara requests clear definitions of low-carbon hydrogen in the Directive text rather than delegated acts, and multiple emission reduction thresholds instead of a single 70% requirement. They oppose hydrogen blending in industrial settings and want pure hydrogen infrastructure. They call for stable definitions over 15 years to enable investment decisions.1234
Why — This would enable step-wise decarbonization projects and secure investment certainty for ammonia production transitions.567
Impact — Climate advocates lose stricter emission standards and faster fossil fuel phase-out timelines.8
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara seeks flexible low-carbon hydrogen thresholds

12 Apr 2022
Topic — EU regulation establishing internal markets for renewable and natural gases and hydrogen.
Message — Yara requests legally certain definitions of low-carbon hydrogen in the Directive text rather than delegated acts, and multiple emission reduction thresholds instead of a binary 70% requirement. They oppose hydrogen blending in industrial processes and favor pure hydrogen infrastructure. They call for technology neutrality and non-discriminatory market rules.1234
Why — This would enable step-wise decarbonization projects that might otherwise fall short of the 70% threshold.56
Impact — Climate advocates lose stronger emissions cuts from Europe's fertilizer industry achieving only gradual reductions.78
Read full response

Meeting with Wolfgang Burtscher (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

17 Mar 2022 · Exchange of views on food security and fertilizers

Fertilizer giant Yara urges flexibility in EU soil health rules

16 Mar 2022
Topic — New EU regulation to define and monitor healthy soils and ensure sustainable use.
Message — Yara requests that the law avoid one-size-fits-all methodologies and instead enable measures suited to local situations. They want policy coherence with existing legislation and recommend that Member States develop National Soil Health Plans. The company argues that plant nutrients should be recognized as contributors to soil health rather than sources of pollution.123
Why — This would allow them to continue current fertilizer practices without stricter nutrient reduction requirements.45
Impact — Environmental groups lose stronger protections against nutrient pollution of water and soil.6
Read full response

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and Bayer AG and

3 Dec 2021 · Discussion on investments into carbon removals with business representatives

Response to Revision of the Energy Tax Directive

18 Nov 2021

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the development of this important regulation. The legislative proposals released by the Commission to reach the 55% target by 2030 are an important milestone towards a climate-neutral society with a growing economy. Yara has already reduced its global direct and indirect emissions by 45 per cent % compared to 2005 (and by 57 % in Europe). Yara has committed to its investors that new projects will further reduce emissions by 30 per cent compared to 2019, in line with the EU’s 2030 emission reduction targets. Ammonia, today produced from gas-based hydrogen, is the base chemical for manufacturing our nitrogen fertilizers; here Yara International is a global leader in ammonia production and trade. Clean ammonia, tomorrow manufactured with green or blue hydrogen, is an essential part of the solution to drive full decarbonization of the fertilizer industry. Clean ammonia as a shipping fuel is the optimal solution to decarbonize long-distance shipping. And it can also serve as a hydrogen carrier to transport clean energy. Clean ammonia is a great option to drive decarbonization of the economy and it opens up entirely new avenues for business growth. We therefore support the intent behind the proposed reform, which is to bring ETD in line with EU climate and energy objectives. At the same time we want to voice our support for the following 2 recommendations made by CEFIC, because in Yara’s view these would strengthen the coherence of the existing and new regulations and thus support the growth of a thriving low-carbon industry in Europe. Area 1: Improving Complementarity between Energy Taxation & Carbon Pricing - To resolve the overlap between ETS and ETD, the ETD should differentiate between energy levies and environmental charges. Environmental charges should be levied only on those consumers not covered under other carbon pricing instruments, such as the EU ETS. Otherwise the ETD threatens to overlap with the design of the EU ETS, without providing equivalent safeguards for industrial competitiveness via carbon leakage protection. Area 2: Providing Essential Safeguards for Industrial Competitiveness - Maintain Member State flexibilities for differentiating tax-rates between business & non-business users, as well the possibility for regressive tax-rates based on quantitative consumption levels and full exemption for the most energy-intensive consumers. A continuation of these exemptions would allow Member States to consider the international competitiveness of specific energy intensive installations, and address in a more targeted manner energy-poverty in households. Besides, certain low-carbon and renewable technology pathways, such as low-carbon/renewable hydrogen or CCUS, will require greater volumes of low-carbon/renewable energy. The up-take of these technologies may be adversely affected by discontinuing the possibility for the above mentioned exemptions.
Read full response

Fertilizer giant urges flexibility on renewable hydrogen targets

17 Nov 2021
Topic — Revision of EU Renewable Energy Directive to align with increased climate ambitions.
Message — Yara requests that renewable hydrogen targets be subsidiary to low-carbon hydrogen use, and made conditional on renewable electricity capacity build-up. They want to avoid overly strict additionality requirements that may slow investment decisions. Countries with high renewable electricity shares should classify grid-based hydrogen as renewable.1234
Why — This would reduce investment risks and allow cheaper grid-based hydrogen where renewable electricity is abundant.56
Impact — Climate advocates lose stricter guarantees that hydrogen is truly additional renewable energy.7
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges export levelling mechanism in CBAM

8 Nov 2021
Topic — EU proposal to establish carbon border adjustment mechanism for imported products.
Message — Yara requests maintaining free emission allowances and introducing an export levelling mechanism to complement the import-focused CBAM. They argue that without these measures, fertilizer exports will become uncompetitive due to direct carbon costs of 25-45% of product prices.123
Why — This would protect their export competitiveness in global markets where 38% of their European production is sold.45
Impact — EU farmers and chemical industry lose as they face higher input costs without protection against cheaper imports.6
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges support for precision farming

8 Nov 2021
Topic — EU rules on land use, forestry and agriculture emissions and carbon removals.
Message — Yara requests policy changes focused on four areas: enhancing land use efficiency, supporting EU agriculture competitiveness, incentivizing carbon farming, and reducing crop carbon footprints. They want greater investments and support for efficiency improvements and carbon removal technologies.12
Why — This would create demand for their precision farming tools and low-carbon fertilizers.34
Impact — Organic farming advocates lose as rules favor mineral fertilizer efficiency over input reduction.5
Read full response

Response to FuelEU Maritime

5 Nov 2021

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the development of this important regulation. Yara is one of the world’s largest ammonia producers, as well as one of the world’s largest ammonia shippers, and we have set ourselves ambitious GHG reduction targets for 2025 and 2030. To meet these, we are developing a growing portfolio of renewable ammonia investment projects and we are keen to help scale up the production and bunkering of renewable ammonia for the shipping sector. We would like to express our support for the goals of the European Green Deal for shipping, notably the objective to deploy sustainable alternative marine fuels through the FuelEU Maritime initiative. Even though the objective of this initiative is commendable, we are concerned that it won’t give enough incentives for truly sustainable and scalable fuels like green e-fuels, notably hydrogen and ammonia. As nascent technologies, green hydrogen is more expensive but is also facing other non-financial risks. Without the right incentives, green hydrogen and green ammonia will not be initially cost-competitive against other alternatives, including advanced biofuels that are not scalable. Both EC’s own impact assessment (p. 75), as well as analysis by sustainable transport group Transport & Environment, have shown that the goal-based, technology-neutral target that is now in the proposal will most likely result in the accelerated uptake of fossil LNG and biodiesel, rather than the envisioned renewable and low-carbon fuels. This is explained by the fact that economic actors will react to the goal-based target by preferring the cheapest and most technologically mature way of achieving the goal. Moreover, the analysis shows that this isn’t just limited to a short transition period: T&E expects that dual-fuel LNG propulsion will remain the cheapest alternative fuel eligible until 2040 - well beyond what’s needed to reach the EU’s climate targets. To help address this, we strongly recommend that FuelEU Maritime gives a clear investment signal for the production and deployment of green hydrogen and ammonia for shipping. This could be done either by adopting a clear sub-target for green hydrogen-based fuels and/or by providing multipliers to companies using them. The first option requires that the FuelEU Maritime sets a minimum share of 50% green hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels to contribute to the GHG intensity reduction efforts under the FuelEU targets. This would lead to more certainty for producers, distributors and infrastructure providers, as well as the consumers, and make shipping one of the key sectors driving investments in green hydrogen production. The second option is that FuelEU Maritime introduces a multiplier of 5 for sustainable e-fuels, specifically green hydrogen and ammonia, to boost their competitiveness vis-a-vis advanced biofuels. Smaller multipliers are unlikely to bridge the cost-competitiveness gap. As a concluding remark Yara wishes to point out that the time horizons behind the 2030 RED targets for industry (new article 22a) and for the gradual phase-in of FuelEUMaritime are not well aligned. Green ammonia for shipping is the major opportunity to make the fertilizer sector more renewable by creating new demand for innovative products. From that perspective Yara deplores that FuelEUMaritime will delay the demand creation until after 2040 and thus may fail to deliver an incentive to meet a 2030 target for renewable ammonia production. This delay makes a production-based target even more dependent on direct financial support by governments.
Read full response

Fertilizer giant warns EU carbon reforms threaten exports and competitiveness

5 Nov 2021
Topic — EU proposal to scale up emissions trading and introduce carbon border adjustments.
Message — Yara requests maintaining free allowances and indirect CO2 compensation while adding export protection mechanisms. They argue the proposed 10% annual reduction in free allowances from 2026 to zero by 2035 would impose insurmountable costs. They want gradual changes and stable regulations to protect investor confidence.1234
Why — This would protect their export markets and avoid massive carbon costs.56
Impact — Higher-emitting global competitors lose advantage as EU producers have half the carbon footprint.7
Read full response

Fertilizer giant Yara urges recognition of crop nutrition role

26 Oct 2021
Topic — EU framework establishing principles and requirements for a sustainable food system.
Message — Yara requests the EU framework acknowledge fertilizers as essential to sustainable food systems and support uptake of precision farming tools. They advocate for balanced crop nutrition to reduce nutrient losses by 50% while maintaining soil fertility. The company seeks a policy approach combining voluntary market mechanisms with sector-specific regulation.123
Why — This would validate their business model while avoiding stricter fertilizer reduction targets.456
Impact — Environmental groups lose stronger limits on synthetic fertilizer use and nitrogen pollution.7
Read full response

Yara urges EU carbon farming scheme to reward mineral fertilizers

7 Oct 2021
Topic — EU initiative to certify carbon removals and promote climate-friendly farming practices.
Message — The company requests that carbon farming acknowledge mineral fertilizers' role in improving yields and soil health. They want farmers rewarded for low-emitting activities and certification standards that enable large-scale implementation without onerous verification requirements.123
Why — This would position their fertilizer products as eligible for carbon credits and subsidies.45
Impact — Environmental groups lose if fertilizer use is incentivized over organic alternatives.
Read full response

Meeting with Jorge Pinto Antunes (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski) and Xynteo and Groupe Avril

15 Jul 2021 · Bioecononmy /Sustainability of biomass

Yara urges nitrogen efficiency tracking in farm data network

2 Jul 2021
Topic — EU proposal to expand farm data collection to include environmental and social practices.
Message — The company requests inclusion of Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) as a sustainability indicator and modern data collection methods using digital tools and satellite data. They want better data accessibility and physical traceability of products.1234
Why — This would support their core business of selling digital farming tools and precision agriculture services to farmers.56
Read full response

Meeting with Antoine Colombani (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and Shell Companies and

15 Jun 2021 · Fit for 55 package

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and European Environmental Bureau and

10 Jun 2021 · Roundtable of the Clean Hydrogen Alliance: 3rd meeting of the co-chairs

Yara Urges Broader Recycled Nutrient Approval for Organic Farming

22 Apr 2021
Topic — EU regulation on authorized substances and products for organic agricultural production.
Message — Yara requests immediate inclusion of struvite and calcined phosphates from municipal wastewater once technical requirements are finalized. They want these materials approved from additional sources like food processing waste and dairy operations. They also urge consideration of recycled ammonium salts from wastewater treatment processes.123
Why — This would expand their market for recycled fertilizer products in organic farming.4
Impact — Traditional mineral fertilizer producers lose as organic farms gain recycled alternatives.5
Read full response