Five EU countries signed a declaration to extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain

Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have signed a declaration according to which the ban on grain imports from Ukraine will be extended after September 15. This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland Robert Telus following a meeting with the ministers of five countries.

“At our meeting, we signed a common position of five countries regarding, first of all, the extension of the ban on the import of four types of grain,” he said (cit. according to RIA Novosti).

According to him, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia are asking to extend this ban until the end of the year. At the same time, the transit of Ukrainian grain will be allowed. Telyus stressed that the restriction on grain imports from Ukraine had an “unexpectedly positive effect” in the form of an increase in transit volumes. In particular, if in March only 120,000 tons of wheat were sent through Poland to other countries, then after the import ban was introduced in June – 260,000 tons.

In April, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia temporarily banned the import of Ukrainian grain into their countries. After that, EC President Ursula von der Leyen conveyed to the governments of these countries that Brussels is “preparing a new support package of 100 million euros” from EU funds in exchange for the five governments lifting bans on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. On May 2, the EC banned the export of grain from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, but allowed its transit and export to other EU countries. At the beginning of June EC extended this ban until 15 September.

18 July Morawiecki informedthat Poland does not plan to open its market for Ukrainian grain after the termination of the grain deal. On July 17, Russia announced its withdrawal from the grain agreement, which was signed on July 22, 2022 by representatives of Turkey, the UN, Russia and Ukraine. Separate agreements were concluded with Moscow and Kiev. The first is for the export of Ukrainian grain from three ports, including Odessa, Yuzhny and Chornomorsk, the second is for assistance in the export of Russian grain and fertilizers. The Russian authorities have repeatedly noted that the second part of the deal is not being implemented.