Ukrainian cereals: EU ends import restrictions | EUROtoday
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L’The European Union introduced on Friday September 15 its choice to place an finish to the ban put in place by 5 states on the import of Ukrainian cereals. In return, Ukraine promised to regulate the movement of grain. This, on the threat of triggering hostilities on the aspect of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, which intend to take care of the restrictions.
At the top of April, the European Commission concluded an settlement with 5 Member States (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania) permitting them to dam the advertising of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower on their soil with a view to shield their farmers.
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Following the lifting of EU customs duties in May 2022, these international locations noticed an inflow of cereals at cut-off costs from Ukraine, however blocked on their soil as a consequence of logistical issues as a substitute of reaching Africa and the Middle East. Several had unilaterally banned imports, to stem the saturation of their silos and the collapse of native costs.
kyiv welcomes EU choice
Restrictions that Brussels – guardian of EU commerce coverage – then formally approved after which prolonged till September 15, offered that these international locations keep the passage of grains to different locations.
“Thanks to these temporary measures, market distortions in these five states have disappeared”, and the advance in logistical situations has made it attainable to extend the supply of cereals to different international locations, welcomed the Commission. “As a result, the existing measures will expire today.”
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kyiv, fiercely against restrictions, welcomed “respect for free trade rules”: “This is an example of true unity and trust between Ukraine and the EU. Europe always wins when the rules work and agreements are implemented,” responded President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Anxious to provide assurances to Eastern international locations, the Commission specifies that in return, Kiev has undertaken to undertake inside one month measures to “avoid surges” in grain volumes, for instance through an export licensing system.
Until then, Ukraine should management exports and keep away from destabilizing border international locations. kyiv should submit an “action plan” to Brussels by Monday night, which guarantees to not reimpose restrictions “as long as the measures taken are fully effective”.
“Protect farmers”
Not sufficient to persuade Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, who instantly introduced that they might unilaterally keep their ban. And this in violation of the choice taken by the Commission, which has sole jurisdiction over EU commerce coverage – on the threat, as within the spring, of a political and authorized standoff with Brussels.
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“Hungary will close its borders to 24 Ukrainian products”, due to this fact way more than the 4 at the moment involved, with a view to “protect the interests of farmers”, indicated Hungarian Minister of Agriculture Istvan Nagy. The Budapest embargo now additionally covers “flour, cooking oil, honey, certain meats and eggs”.
And one month earlier than elections in Poland, the populist right-wing authorities is making it “a fundamental question”. “We will undoubtedly defend the interests of Polish farmers,” stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, whose Law and Justice get together enjoys sturdy assist in agricultural areas.
Romania, for its half, “regretted” Brussels’ choice, saying it was ready for kyiv’s motion plan earlier than implementing attainable measures.
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Unlike its neighbors, Bulgaria introduced on Thursday that it was lifting the embargo, within the identify of “solidarity with Ukraine”. In the occasion of a violation of EU legislation, kyiv threatens to refer the matter to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to demand compensation.
France and Germany against restrictions
Part of the Twenty-Seven, led by France and Germany, have been fiercely opposed from the outset to those restrictions, denouncing distortions of the only market. At the identical time, the Europeans try to strengthen in all instructions the routes for transporting Ukrainian grain to the remainder of the world after the top of the settlement with Russia in mid-July to permit transit through the Black Sea.
The EU has developed “solidarity” land and river corridors, by Poland and Romania, which have made it attainable to move 44.4 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain because the begin of the struggle, or 60% of the Ukrainian manufacturing, with a view to provide consuming international locations, notably in Africa.
https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/cereales-ukrainiennes-l-ue-met-fin-aux-restrictions-d-importation-15-09-2023-2535611_24.php#xtor=RSS-221