EU plans more tariff concessions for Ukraine despite protests
Grain export from Ukraine © Elena/Adobe Stock MEPs on the European Parliament’s international trade committee have voted to extend the EU’s trade liberalisation measures with Ukraine for another year, potentially allowing cheaper access for agricultural goods.
Temporary measures first adopted in May 2022 to allow Ukrainian agricultural goods to enter the EU more freely were due to expire on 5 June 2024.
However, the EU Commission is now seeking a one-year extension.
This planned extension comes despite protests by farmers in some European countries, such as Poland, where domestic markets have been negatively affected by increased imports from Ukraine.
See also: Ukraine war: Farmers fight for survival two years on
The commission plan still has to be signed off by the full European Parliament, but a statement by the trade committee said the plan would introduce strengthened “safeguard mechanisms” to counteract adverse market effects in the EU member states.
This includes duty-free import caps for particularly sensitive products, such as poultry, eggs, and sugar, with volumes limited to 2022-23 levels.
Let down
However, EU farmers group Copa-Cogeca said producers had been let down by their politicians.
A joint group statement said: “Despite legitimate concerns and protests, MEPs have decided not to support even limited amendments that would have made this proposal a real compromise.
“Just a few weeks after all the EU political parties took to the floor to praise and support European farming, their votes are falling short to show a real sense of concern for our agriculture.”
The likely extension of trade concessions has been welcomed by Ukrainian farmers, however, with the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (Ucab) saying that, without trade, the Ukrainian economy may collapse. It is agriculture that provides that pillar of stability.
Ucab president Alex Lissitsa said: “A big ‘thank you’ is what Ukrainian farmers and the Ukrainian citizens at large are saying now to the European Parliament members about their decision.”