The conclusion of the European Union (EU) to keep on supplying Ukraine with trading for one more year has been reached. Nevertheless, the EU attracted the skepticism of its farmers and thus imposed a quota on the importation of particular food products.
A political body of the EU comprising officials of the member states and the European Parliament reached a self-granted approval of the import duty reimbursement and abolition of quotas from July this year until June of 2025. It is these actions – of continued support towards Ukraine, in the context of ongoing military conflict between the two nations while some ports are still being affected – that the agricultural sector plays such an important role in the economy.
At the same time, the EU pursued trade support mainly in the industries within manufacturing, technology, and higher value-added services. However, the EU declared sensitive agricultural products such as sugar, corn, eggs, and poultry should be protected. These products could be taxed if their influx exceeded the accumulated volume for the preceding two years. Furthermore, while monitoring the import of wheat will be closely reviewed for any rise in the import. The conclusion of such an accord would have to be ratified by the European Parliament, where a vote is scheduled for April, and member countries before it can be implemented.
Nevertheless, while the country is one of the major advocates of this policy, it was the only EU member state which has not ratified the agreement. The country has announced its plans to continue to suspend grain imports possibly and may finish by completely closing the way of goods from third countries. Polish farmers insist the quotas should be on the same level as the import possibilities before the Russian invasion because otherwise, their objection would be ignored.
The association Copa-Cogeca, the main lobby group for agriculture, has shown its deep dissatisfaction with the deal, calling the intention of the EU to reduce the amount of wheat imported from overseas harmful to the own farmers and needs to be rejected.
European farmers have been staging anti-governmental rallies for months now. The main subject of their protests is cheap Ukrainian crops, which they claim are the bulwark of their discontent. The costs and bureaucratic load round off their list of claims. Last minute, European farmers addressed the European Parliament to impose curbs on free trade measures that they claim might harm the economies of the EU member states, causing disorganisation in the single market.
The accord was followed by the decision of the Polish farmer’s unions, who took to the streets. They took steps to stop hundreds of roads to draw the state’s attention. Thus, they have demanded the implementation of further measures. The Polish Agriculture Ministry plans to bring their petition to the table after the discussion with the protesters is completed. Pending the agreement of the ban on food stuff transportation of all those sensitive goods and cessation of their conveyance to other countries.
The Friday press conference of Mr. Michal Kolodziejczak, the Deputy Agriculture Minister, revealed plans of consultation with Ukraine on Thursday to examine the possible suspension of transit. The change is ongoing as the participants seek a settlement to resettle the farmers while meeting Ukraine’s trade requests in the EU.
