In Brussels, the permanent representative ambassadors of the 27 finally agreed this Wednesday March 27 to extend the exemption from customs duties enjoyed by Ukraine, while limiting imports of foodstuffs, in the hope of calming the revolt of the farmers.
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With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
Ukrainian imports have been exempt from customs duties since June 2022 – these are autonomous trade measures – but this exemption must be renewed year after year. As the European elections approach, several countries have sought to extinguish the anger of European Union farmers, by imposing import ceilings in particular on cereals. The file has been blocked since Wednesday in eight.
France and Poland came forward to raise the stakes and limit imports of Ukrainian foodstuffs as much as possible. These countries which have been blocking for a week have managed to further lower the limits. From now on, the average of Ukrainian imports will be calculated since July 2021.
Agricultural organizations challenged the previous average, because the calculation began in 2022, the year when Ukrainian imports had already increased significantly. On the other hand, the French and Poles have not succeeded in putting wheat and barley in the category of sensitive products for which automatic stabilization measures are activated.
These are the 7 products for which there will automatically be a limitation on imports exempt from customs duties, if the average is exceeded: eggs and poultry, sugar and honey, oats and corn, as well as groats, degermed cereal grains.
According to the German Minister of Agriculture, the very low wheat prices are not linked to Ukrainian imports. For the rest, all foodstuffs will be subject to ceilings if imports disrupt the market of at least one European country, this is the emergency brake system.
Read alsoHow Ukraine exports its grain since the end of the agreement with Russia