EU Slows Ukrainian Agricultural Exports
Agreement between the participating countries and the European Parliament to restrict exports of certain Ukrainian agricultural products, but not exports of wheat and barley
This goes against the principles of European “solidarity” with Ukraine, but the farmers’ protests that have shaken the Old World for many months have left no another choice for Brussels. On the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, March 20, the European Parliament at a meeting in Strasbourg, amid tensions in agricultural circles, extended until June 5, 2025 duty exemption for Ukrainian agricultural products exported to the European Union. At the same time, they agreed for the first time to “limit duty-free exports of some agricultural products from Ukraine to Europe.”
The agreement provides a range of “mechanisms to protect European markets and producers” on “more sensitive” products, such as oats, corn, sugar, honey, eggs, and poultry. Wheat and barley are excluded from these arrangements, despite the demands of many MEPs. The Assembly also reserved the right to “intervene urgently to revoke the duty exemption, if Ukrainian agricultural exports cause problems for EU internal markets.”
European farmers have long blamed uncontrolled flows of Ukrainian agricultural products for their problems. They criticize it for “knocking down European purchase prices, especially in countries bordering Ukraine” and using methods of “unfair competition,” because Ukrainians are not obliged to and do not comply with costly “green” standards imposed by Brussels.
As Agence France Presse recalls, “the problem has fueled farmers’ discontent, especially in Poland, where they have blocked border crossings with Ukraine and Germany in recent weeks.”