EU lawmakers on Wednesday reached a deal to cap duty-free imports of Ukrainian grain, which were allowed in the wake of Russia's invasion.
The agreement extends the tariff exemption granted in 2022 for another year, but adds oats, eggs, poultry and sugar to the list of products with import “safeguards”.
For those products, an "emergency brake" would be used to prevent cheap imports from flooding the market.
Wheat and barley will not be added to the safeguard list.
"This renewal underscores our unwavering support to #Ukraine while including safeguard mechanisms to protect EU market," the Belgian EU presidency said on X.
A French government source said on Tuesday that work was underway to enable Ukrainian agricultural products to return to their original markets in Africa and the Middle East so that they "do not remain blocked in Europe”.
Access to those areas had been disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Farmers upset
The 27-nation bloc dropped tariffs on Ukrainian imports in a bid to help Ukraine’s economy to remain afloat as it fought the conflict.
But two years of conflict have seen EU farmers complain about being undercut by cheaper imports from Ukrainian producers who are not bound by stricter EU rules.
The issue has fuelled angry protests across the bloc.
Polish farmers have been blocking checkpoints with Ukraine, and this week expanded their protests to the western border with Germany.
The tariff caps come three months ahead of the European elections, where a surge of support is expected for far-right parties who have widely seized upon the farmers’ discontent in their campaigning.
(with AFP)
