Beata Płomecka, Polish Radio's correspondent in Brussels, reported that on Monday first the negotiators of EU institutions found a common ground on this matter - and the arrangements they made were also approved by the ambassadors of the member states in the following hours.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament's International Trade Committee supported Monday's decisions as well. The only remaining step for the new ruling to enter into life is the European Parliament vote at its Strasbourg session in two weeks. With its acceptance, the EU's duty-free trade agreement with Ukraine - although with more strict import restrictions - will be extended for another 12 months.
As per the adjusted agreement, the import limits will also cover eggs, sugar and poultry now - which joined corn, groats and honey already present on the list. When setting restrictions, not only the last two years will be taken into account - but also the second half of 2021. This matter was at stake in the final stages of negotiations - with Poland and France leading the battle for such an extension of the reference period. This change will translate into a more realistic assessment of previous EU imports from Ukraine - making the newly introduced restrictions more adequate.
The introduced restrictions may be the Solomonic solution of the ongoing standoff between the EU officials, the farmers from the EU countries and Ukraine. The extension of the unrestrictive EU duty-free trade agreement with Ukraine was one of things that the EU farmers, including those in Poland, have been violently protesting against in recent months.
Prolonging the EU's duty-free trade deal with Ukraine with the proposed set of restrictions should protect the bloc's farmers' interests, likely ending their protests and traffic blockades at the borders with Ukraine. At the same time - it would still allow to maintain Ukraine's unrestricted trade with the EU countries in a number of less-problematic fields.
(mm)
Source: IAR