EU’s expansion of restrictions on Ukrainian grain increases the risk of a continuation of the war

Franco-Polish proposals to expand restrictions on imports of Ukrainian food to the EU risk prolonging Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solsky told the Financial Times, Zn.ua reports.

He explained that the additional restrictions, which are the subject of heated debate within the bloc and are intended to calm down angry farmers, will hit Ukraine’s revenues and “increase the chances that the war will drag on.”

“Warsaw and Paris are making efforts to strengthen a tentative deal struck last week that imposes restrictions on many Ukrainian imports in exchange for the continuation of a duty-free regime adopted after Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022,” the newspaper writes.

It is noted that the ambassadors of 27 EU member states will meet on March 27 to conclude an agreement on agricultural imports with Ukraine. The previous agreement provided for a reduction in imports of more than €400 million over the next year if Ukraine could not find alternative markets. The French-Polish proposal would reduce this amount by another €800 million.

“Diplomats say the Italian government will have the deciding vote, as a positive decision will require the support of the majority of EU member states, calculated according to their population. If Rome supports Warsaw and Paris, other EU member states will be forced to agree to more cuts to prevent the loss of duty-free access to the EU in June,” the newspaper explains.

Solsky noted that Ukraine is not to blame for the fact that high harvests in the US and Latin America have led to a drop in grain prices. He also added that more protectionism and subsidies are not the solution for European farmers, as they need to become more efficient to compete on world markets.

“80% of the problems that are usually associated with Ukrainian exports do not exist. They are invented,” said the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

At the same time, Mykola Solsky said in a commentary to Le Monde that Ukraine is ready to adopt a system of licensing agricultural exports to Poland to solve problems with agricultural exports, УНН reports.

“We are ready to adopt an export licensing system for products destined for Poland, but only for four types of grain. We already have a similar system with Romania and Bulgaria,” he said.

On March 27, a meeting of the Ukrainian-Polish intergovernmental working group is also scheduled to take place with representatives of agricultural associations from both countries.

Tags: war, Ukraine, grain, EU, France, Poland, restrictions