By a large majority - 25 votes out of 35 votes cast - members of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) have given their approval to the draft agreement on poultry meat between the EU and Ukraine.
The agreement, which is in the form of an exchange of letters and has as its objective amendment of the trade preferences for poultry meat products in the Association Agreement between the two parties, was concluded as a matter of urgency. Imports of chicken breasts to the EU need to be curbed as soon as possible. Chicken breasts are a crucial product for European producers, but a loophole in the preferences granted to Ukraine allowed them to be included under another product category ('Other bone-in chicken pieces' (CN 0207 13 70)) (see EUROPE 12156/2).
The solution negotiated between the EU and Ukraine is to increase the current quota for poultry meat products by an additional 50,000 tonnes and to reintroduce the Most Favoured Nation rate (100.8 euros/100kg/net) for imports under the two 'other cuts' tariff lines (see EUROPE 12273/15).
During a debate the previous day, several MEPs were outraged by the quota increases that were ultimately agreed.
The Commission pointed out, however, that they were dealing with a legal loophole that had been exploited by Ukrainian producers. It could therefore only be corrected by amending both the Association text and the concessions granted to Ukraine.
The European Parliament Committee on Agriculture has also delivered a favourable opinion on the draft agreement (see EUROPE 12363/8).
Several MEPs also expressed a desire for this debate to be taken to the European Parliament's plenary session.
The Ukrainian assembly is expected to approve this amendment in the next few days. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)