EU eases tensions over Ukrainian agricultural products

Kyiv [Ukraine], April 21: Under pressure from five Eastern European countries, the European Commission (EC) proposed urgent "precautionary measures" for the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, but negotiations were fruitless.
Last weekend, Poland and Hungary announced a ban on the import of some agricultural products from Ukraine , as cheap supplies from the war-torn country flooded the domestic market, driving down the prices of local agricultural products. and upset farmers. Slovakia and Bulgaria later followed suit, while Romania did not impose a ban but said it would monitor and seek to limit imports from Ukraine.
The unilateral bans have challenged the EC's authority on trade, as well as raised concerns about pro-Ukrainian solidarity within the European Union (EU). In a letter to the leaders of five Eastern European countries, EC President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the "undesired consequences" of the duty-free policy on many Ukrainian products, and pledged to carry out actions. "precautionary measures" to deal with the situation.
EC Vice-President and EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and EU High Commissioner for Agriculture JanuszWojciechowski held an online meeting with representatives of 5 Eastern European countries and Ukraine on the evening of April 19 to discuss these measures, but the parties involved has not yet come to a consensus, according to Euronews .
The measures discussed include allowing the transport of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds through five Eastern European countries, but the goods will not be consumed or stored within the territories of the countries. This. According to the EC's proposal, the policy would be in place until the end of June if Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia withdraw their bans. In addition, the EC also proposed a support package worth 100 million euros for affected farmers in 5 Eastern European countries.
The Financial Times quoted an EC official as saying that Brussels intends to mobilize trucks, trains and barges to transport Ukrainian grain to ports, from there to countries in need, as well as increase capacity. transportation of the Danube. Previously, many trading companies refused to pay for this transportation because it was more expensive than shipping by sea through the Black Sea .
In her letter, Ms von der Leyen also said Brussels would investigate the situation regarding other "sensitive products" at the request of Poland, which has also banned meat imports from Ukraine.
In another development related to Ukrainian grain, The Wall Street Journal reported that the country had asked Turkey to seize a ship that prosecutors in Kyiv say was carrying about 19,000 tons of barley stolen from the Ukraine. Russia-controlled areas in Ukraine. According to the newspaper, the incident involved the Panamanian-flagged Bomustafa O, which docked at the Turkish port of Samsun on April 17.
Meanwhile, TASS reported that ships inspecting grain exported from Ukraine's ports along the Black Sea continued to operate on April 20, after resuming operations a day earlier.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper