The EC may extend restrictions on the import of Ukrainian grain until September 15

The European Commission (EC) has extended the ban on grain imports from Ukraine to several Eastern European countries until September 15. About it wrote Minister of Agriculture of Poland Robert Telus.

“We have received from the EU a draft of a new regulation prohibiting the import of 4 goods into 5 countries. The validity period provided for in the project is September 15 of the current year,” the minister said in a statement. He also said that he hopes to start the project from tomorrow.

Earlier, the Polish Press Agency (PAP), citing a source, also reportedthat the EC decided to extend the restrictions on the import of Ukrainian grains and oilseeds for a number of Eastern European countries. At the same time, it was not specified for how long this sanction would be extended.

May 31 Reuters wrotethat Hungary asked the EU to extend the import ban until the end of this year. In addition, Hungary requested financial support for local farmers. This is necessary to facilitate the transportation of stocks of grain that are stuck in internal warehouses before harvest.

Problems with the export of Ukrainian grain to Eastern Europe began in the spring of 2023. In April, a number of Eastern European countries temporarily banned the import of Ukrainian grain into their countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the governments of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic that Brussels is “preparing a new support package of 100 million euros” for farmers in these countries from EU funds in exchange for their governments lifting bans on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products.

On May 2, the European Commission banned the export of grain from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, but allowed its transit and export to other EU countries. The measure is valid until today, June 5. In May, the EU Council extended the abolition of all tariffs and quotas on exports from Ukraine until June 2024 (this does not apply to exports to the above countries). The ban on the collection of duties on goods from Ukraine was approved by the EU countries in the summer of 2022.