EU agrees deal to extend trade support for Ukraine with safeguards for EU farmers

EU Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on Wednesday on extending trade liberalization measures at the same time ensuring safeguards for EU farmers, according to a statement by the EU Parliament.

“The temporary suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU will be renewed for another year, until 5 June 2025, to support Ukraine amidst Russia’s continuing war of aggression,” the statement reads.

The Commission can take swift action and impose any measures it deems necessary should there be significant disruption to the EU market or the markets of one or more EU countries due to Ukrainian imports.

The regulation also provides for an emergency brake for particularly sensitive agricultural products, namely poultry, eggs, and sugar. MEPs secured the expansion of this list to include oats, maize, groats and honey. 

“The reference period for triggering the emergency brake will be 2022 and 2023, meaning that if imports of these products surpass the average volumes of these two years, tariffs would be re-imposed,” according to the statement.

Parliament and Council will now both have to give their final green light to the provisional agreement. The current suspension expires on 5 June 2024. The new regulations should enter into force immediately following this expiration date.

Ukraine's EU neighbours - Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - have complained that the farm imports have upset their producers, leading to farmer protests and import bans. Shipments into those countries increased after the conflict in Ukraine hindered exports via the traditional Black Sea route.