The European Union has decided to reinstate import quotas on agricultural products from Ukraine, according to European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari, as reported by Euractiv. This move comes as the current duty-free trade arrangement is set to expire on June 5.
Initially, the EU lifted tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian farm exports in response to the escalation of the conflict with Russia in early 2022. The special arrangement, known as Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs), was intended to help Ukrainian agricultural products reach international markets more easily. However, a surge of inexpensive Ukrainian produce into Eastern European countries led to widespread protests by local farmers, especially in Poland, who argued that they were being undercut.
At a recent meeting, a majority of EU member states approved a new set of "transitional measures" that will gradually end the ATMs and reintroduce certain trade restrictions. Over the past year, some controls had already been reinstated on items like oats, sugar, and eggs, largely due to pressure from farmers in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and other neighboring nations.
According to Politico, the EU is planning to transition from the ATMs to revised trade rules under Ukraine's existing agreement with the bloc, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), rather than continuing the ATM system on a yearly basis.
Dmitry Natalukha, head of Ukraine's parliamentary economic affairs committee, warned that ending the ATMs could cost Ukraine over €3 billion ($3.4 billion), which he says amounts to nearly 70% of the country's expected economic growth this year.
Source: Mena FN