Yahoo | 29 April 2023

Ukraine lodges protest to Poland and EU over restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products

by Ukrainska Pravda

Kyiv has lodged an official protest to Poland and the European Union over imposing restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products contrary to the Association Agreement.

Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Nikolenko said that the protest notes were handed over to the Polish Embassy and the EU Delegation to Ukraine, and they stressed that the situation was categorically unacceptable.

Quote: "Such restrictions, whatever their reasons are, do not comply with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the principles and norms of the EU Single Market.

There are all legal grounds for the immediate resumption of exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, as well as for the continuation of unimpeded exports to other EU member states and, in general, unimpeded transit of all Ukrainian products to other countries both within and outside the EU," said Nikolenko.

He added that the Foreign Ministry urged the partners to seek a balanced solution "based on EU law, the Association Agreement and in the spirit of solidarity".

"This is the only way to jointly and effectively counteract Russia’s full-scale aggressive war against Ukraine and to strengthen the EU Single Market, which Ukraine will become a member of," the spokesman said.

Background: On 28 April, the European Commission reached an agreement with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia regarding Ukrainian agri-food products, the import of which was restricted by these countries.

"Exceptional safeguard measures", i.e., an import ban, were agreed for four types of products, particularly wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds. The list does not include sunflower oil.

At the same time, safeguard investigations will be conducted concerning other products, including oil.

The EU will also provide a €100 million support package for affected farmers in five member states.

These five EU countries will lift their unilateral bans on imports of Ukrainian products in exchange.

The current measures introducing duty-free trade with Ukraine expire on 5 June, so the new steps will come into force a day later. EU ambassadors voted in favour of the regulation on 28 April.