The European Union has reached an agreement to curb the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. Governments of EU countries and the European Parliament reached a provisional deal on Monday, pending approval from the parliament.
Following the Russian invasion, the EU had granted tariff-free export for agricultural powerhouse Ukraine to assist the country in generating additional income. However, concerns raised by Eastern European EU countries such as Poland about their own farmers being undercut led to the imposition of quotas by Brussels on products like eggs, sugar, and corn. Extra exports from Ukraine were no longer exempt from import duties.
These restrictions will be continued, tightened, and expanded to include a range of products starting from June, as agreed upon by negotiators from European governments and the European Parliament. Member states promptly approved this agreement.
The parliament is almost certain to approve it later this month. If it were to encounter obstacles, Ukraine would have to resume paying import duties starting from June.
The tightening of regulations is estimated to cost Ukraine around €330 million annually, according to EU sources.