“We consider the imposition of further trade restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products after the expiry of the embargo imposed by the European Commission on September 15 as completely unacceptable,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry noted that such “unilateral restrictions” are incompatible with the spirit and letter of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union and the principles of the EU common market.
An appeal to the European Union
We call on the EU leadership and the countries concerned, some of which have received increased funding for relevant sectors of the EU budget, to find a balanced solution on the basis of EU legislation and the Association Agreement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Minister Tellos said on Friday after a meeting of the heads of agriculture ministries of five front-line countries – Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia – that they had reached a position on agricultural products from Ukraine. Among its points is the extension of the grain import ban to these countries until the end of the year.
On April 28, 2023, the European Commission reached an agreement with Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia on Ukrainian agro-food products, and on May 2 announced the adoption of temporary protective measures. Initially, the EU ban on imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia was in effect until June 5, and then was extended until September 15 this year. Grain transit through the territory of these countries is allowed.
In July this year, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that if the European Commission did not extend the ban on grain imports from Ukraine after September 15, Poland would close the borders to these goods. He told the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Robert Tellus, at the time that front-line ministers wanted the ban to remain in place at least until the end of the year.
