Foreign Ministry urges EU not to extend ban on Ukrainian grain

UkrAgroConsult

Ukraine welcomes the decision of the Council of the European Union to extend for one year the measures to fully liberalize trade with Ukraine, which include the abolition of all duties, quotas and trade remedies on Ukrainian exports. This is stated in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

“We are convinced that any exceptions and restrictions do not comply with the spirit of the EU’s close partnership with Ukraine as a candidate country for EU membership, nor with the letter of the Association Agreement and the EU founding treaties. That is why we once again emphasize that the restrictive measures imposed on May 2 by the European Commission under pressure from certain EU member states on four types of Ukrainian exports – wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds – are unjustified, harm Ukrainian producers and, accordingly, weaken the Ukrainian economy in the context of the ongoing full-scale war,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects that the restrictions, which are in effect until June 5 this year, will not be extended after that date and will be canceled in full.

“Otherwise, we will consider the extension of trade restrictions as an example of double standards that will only undermine EU solidarity with Ukraine and demonstrate the inability of EU institutions to apply the norms of the EU founding treaties and the Association Agreement.

We call on those member states behind the attempt to extend the restrictions to refrain from such a step and choose a way to resolve the disputes that would be consistent with the principles of the single market, the provisions of the Association Agreement and the WTO,” the Ministry concluded.

Tags: Ukraine, grain, EU, restrictions