European Commission considers lawsuits against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over Ukrainian grain import bans
The European Commission (EC) has not ruled out taking legal action against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to maintain unilateral bans on imports of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products, Politico reported, citing EC spokesperson Olof Gill.
The bans imposed by the three countries violate EU Single Market rules that prohibit national trade barriers. Meanwhile, the updated EU–Ukraine trade agreement, which came into force this week, is designed to balance the interests of European farmers while ensuring stable conditions for Ukrainian exports.
“We see no justification for maintaining these national measures,” Gill said, adding that the Commission will “intensify its contact” with the governments of Warsaw, Budapest and Bratislava. When asked about potential legal proceedings, he stated: “All options remain on the table.”
Despite the new agreement, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia have declared that they will keep their restrictions in place. Hungarian Agriculture Minister István Nagy accused Brussels of “prioritizing Ukrainian interests,” while his Slovak counterpart Richard Takáč described the new safeguards as “not strong enough” to protect local producers.
According to Politico, the European Commission has so far refrained from launching legal proceedings, wary of political fallout — particularly of straining relations with Donald Tusk’s pro-EU government in Poland. However, tensions over Ukrainian imports once again highlight the EU’s struggle to balance support for Kyiv with the interests of its own farmers.
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