On Tuesday 6 June, the EU member states reached an agreement, at ambassador level (Coreper), on the EU Council's position on the proposal for temporary autonomous trade measures in favour of certain Ukrainian agricultural and industrial goods (in addition to what is already offered by the EU as part of the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement).
The Council asked the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers to engage in talks with the European Parliament, with a view to rapid adoption of the measures that were proposed by the European Commission in September 2016 in order to improve Ukrainian exporters' access to the EU market, given the difficult economic situation in Ukraine and the reform efforts being undertaken by Kiev (see EUROPE 11636).
The proposed measures comprise further zero-duty import quotas for certain agricultural products and the total or partial removal of import duties on several industrial goods for a period of three years.
The package of measures provides for the EU's application of safeguard measures and it makes the granting of measures conditional upon Ukraine respecting the same principles as in the association agreement (democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms).
During a vote on 1 June, the European Parliament adopted 21 amendments to this package of measures and decided to refer the dossier back to its international trade committee so as enable negotiations to begin with the Council. Following its rapporteur Jaroslaw Walesa (EPP, Poland), the European Parliament backed the EU's additional trade preferences, but with exceptions – wheat, tomatoes and urea (see EUROPE 11800).
Having entered into force on 1 January 2016, the EU-Ukraine free trade area provides for the reciprocal opening of goods and services markets, with a quicker removal or reduction of EU tariffs. The additional preferences aim to compensate for the country's economic difficulties.
An EU-Ukraine summit is scheduled for 12 July 2017. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)