European Commission is to decide on restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports to Eastern Europe
The European Commission will decide today whether to maintain restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports in five Eastern European member states. The measure allowed by the European Union aimed to protect producers in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria from goods coming from Ukraine. Four of them requested the extension of the restriction.
The Slovak government announced on Wednesday that it will extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain if the European Commission does not agree to the extension of this measure after September 15. Poland has announced that it will not allow itself to be flooded with Ukrainian grain and will not reopen its borders, regardless of what decision is made in Brussels.
Also, the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture, Istvan Nagy, said that Budapest will act unilaterally to defend its farmers, if it does not receive a response in favor of extending the agreement. The Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, spoke in favor of extending the ban on importing Ukrainian grain.
Only Bulgaria decided on Thursday to drop the ban on importing Ukrainian grain. Following the decision adopted by the Sofia Legislature, Bulgarian farmers announced that from Monday, September 18, they will start protest actions throughout the country, to request the continuation of the ban.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Bulgaria's decision, saying it was a sign of genuine solidarity. Officials in Kiev have stressed that any form of extension of the restrictions is not acceptable and legal.
We remind that, in order to help Ukraine after the war started by Russia, the European Union has suspended customs duties and other trade defense measures on Ukrainian imports, including grain and other food products.
