The European Commission has announced it will respond to a petition from five European Union countries, including Poland, to implement restrictions on grain imports from Ukraine. The petition was submitted to the EC by the five EU countries in order to protect their domestic grain markets.
Four European countries and Bulgaria call on the EU to limit Ukrainian grain imports
Four European countries – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania – as well as Bulgaria, have called on the European Commission to impose restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports. In a joint letter sent to the EC on Friday, the countries argued that the influx of Ukrainian grain is negatively impacting the EU’s agricultural market. They called for the EC to take action to protect the stability of the bloc’s grain market.
Bulgaria, which is not an EU member state, was included in the letter due to its close economic ties with Ukraine. The countries also noted that, if the EC does not take action, they will be forced to take unilateral measures.
Polish PM demands EU ban on Ukrainian grain imports ‘urgently’
Poland and three other countries neighbouring Ukraine, as well as Bulgaria, demanded restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports in a joint letter sent to the European Commission (EC) on Friday.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki recently wrote a letter to the European Union (EU) expressing his criticism of the bloc’s failure to deliver on its promise to send grain imported from Ukraine to Middle Eastern and African countries. In his letter, Morawiecki urged the EU to take immediate action and fulfil its commitments. He also suggested that the EU should develop a long-term plan to ensure the delivery of grain to countries in need. The letter has been widely seen as an effort to bring about a resolution to the issue.
Ukrainian farmers are facing a difficult situation as grain exports to neighbouring countries, such as Poland, remain high, leaving farmers with warehouses full of grain and prices in decline. Complaints about the difficulty of selling their grain have been widespread.
“The Russian aggression against Ukraine has not only led to a huge increase in production costs in the agricultural sector… but also to problems… related to a substantial increase in the supply of Ukrainian products to the markets of the EU Member States, especially those bordering or close to Ukraine,”
the prime ministers of Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia wrote.
EC to respond soon
In a letter addressed to the government, a group of agricultural organizations called for extra funding to support farmers who have already been hit with losses and those at risk of financial ruin. The signatories also asked for emergency measures to be implemented to help those in need.
On Monday, a European Commission (EC) spokesman confirmed the receipt of a letter and said the Commission would provide a response. Balazs Ujvar, the EC spokesman, made the announcement.
The European Commission (EC) has announced a proposal to extend the suspension of import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union. EC officials stated that they had taken into account certain sensitivities of the EU market and were aware of the need to protect it from any potential disruption. They added that the proposal was made with the intention of boosting EU-Ukraine trade relations.