EU trade visa-free zone for Ukrainian agro-products terminated as of today

The preferential trade regime for agricultural products between Ukraine and the European Union (autonomous trade measures) expired today, June 6, 2025.

According to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine and the EU have reached a preliminary agreement that the free trade agreement (FTA) will be renewed in the amount of 7/12 quotas. This regime will remain in effect until the agreement is amended.

“We understand that this seven-month volume that we will have in the quotas will be sufficient for Ukraine not to feel the deterioration of the conditions that we have had over the past three years,” Shmyhal emphasized.

According to him, there are no threats, but there is a need to promptly conclude amendments to the Association Agreement.

At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna stated that Ukraine and the European Commission intend to decide on a sustainable format of trade cooperation by the end of July.

“Accordingly, both Ukrainian and European businesses, which already have signed contracts within the agreed volumes and quotas, will not feel any deterioration,” Shmyhal hopes.

According to various estimates, Ukraine will lose between 2.5 and 3.5 billion euros a year as a result of the return of the trade regime with the EU. Ukraine’s total wheat exports will decrease by about $240 million, despite the redirection of flows to other destinations.

According to Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, MP (Servant of the People), Ukrainian corn producers will be hit hardest, as the annual quota will be reduced to 650,000 tons (for comparison, last year more than 14 million tons, or almost half, were shipped to Europe, with the annual duty-free quota at almost 11.2 million tons and the five-month quota at 4.7 million tons), meaning there will be virtually no duty-free trade.

“The sugar quota will also be significantly reduced to 40.7 thousand tons. Last year, total exports of the sweet commodity set a record for this century – almost 750 thousand tons, of which about 40% were supplied to the EU. In 2024, Ukraine chose an annual quota of 262.6 thousand tons ahead of schedule, and by June 5, it could count on 109 thousand tons of duty-free imports. Other products, such as honey and poultry, will also be subject to restrictions,” he summarized.

Tags: Ukraine, corn, EU, sugar, restrictions