Several countries say EU should reintroduce tariffs on Ukrainian farm products
The European Union should reintroduce tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural products if their influx, which is driving down prices on European markets, cannot be stopped by other means, say the premiers of Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in a letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, reports Agerpres.
The letter to the European Commission from the Bulgarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak and Hungarian prime ministers says that an unprecedented situation has been created after the European Union suspended import duties and other measures applicable to Ukrainian exports to the EU bloc, a measure to support Ukraine's economy in the context of Russian aggression.
The Black Sea ports were blocked after the Russian Federation launched the war in February 2022, so Ukraine had to find alternative routes for grain exports via Poland and Romania. However, the logistical blockages have left large quantities of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union, on the markets of central and eastern European countries, and have thus hurt local farmers by depressing prices.
The heads of the governments of the five countries reiterate the need for more funds to help affected farmers and for faster development of infrastructure for goods exported from Ukraine.
On 23 February, the European Commission proposed a one-year extension of the suspension of import duties, quotas and trade defence measures on Ukrainian exports to the European Union. The extension of the duty suspension comes on top of other EU initiatives to support the Ukrainian economy, notably the so-called "solidarity roads" for Ukrainian grain exports by land.
