12 May 2023

EU IMPOSES TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS ON UKRAINIAN PRODUCTS

On 2 May, the European Commission imposed temporary restriction on the import of wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seed from Ukraine in Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. The primary objective of these restrictions is to alleviate the logistical bottlenecks experienced in these five countries due to the influx of Ukrainian products. Transit will not be affected by these restrictions. 

The restriction is an attempt to find common ground between the export needs of Ukraine and the farming sectors of the five Member States that are under pressure. Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary had previously banned the import of some Ukrainian agricultural products. Such decision was taken after expressing concerns about the lack of solid EU regulations to protect their farmers, as there was no room for their domestic produce in the market. 

To address these concerns, the Commission agreed to a financial support package of € 100 million to assist farmers in these countries who were experiencing significant losses. The five Member States also agreed to lift their unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian products, thereby ensuring that the import of these products can proceed unimpeded. 

The Commission has announced that it will keep these restrictions in place between 2 May and 5 June. However, it has not excluded the possibility of extending them if the situation in the Member States does not improve.

Source: European Commission