Hungary renews ban on Ukrainian grain imports

Hungary’s new government has reinstated a ban on the import of 20 categories of Ukrainian products after it was accidentally lifted. The restrictions apply to grain, meat and eggs, Euractiv reports.

It is noted that the ban was lifted “due to a legislative error”. That is why the office of Prime Minister Péter Magyar has taken “urgent measures” to restore the ban as soon as possible.

The ban applies to about 20 categories of goods, including beef, pork, poultry, eggs, sunflower seeds, corn, wheat, barley, flour and rapeseed oil. Honey is likely to be included.

Karin Karlsbro, a member of the European Parliament responsible for trade relations between the EU and Ukraine, told the publication that she “deeply regrets” that Hungary has decided to maintain an “illegal import ban” on Ukrainian agricultural products.

It should be noted that, contrary to EU law, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia introduced unilateral trade restrictions on several Ukrainian goods in 2023 and maintained them despite repeated warnings from the European Commission.

Some neighboring countries are reluctant to expand market access for Ukraine, which is a powerful agricultural producer, fearing that this would harm their farmers and cause resentment.

Tags: imports, rapeseed oil, Hungary, restrictions, eggs, corn, grain, barley, oilseeds, wheat, flour