The agreement that unblocked the Black Sea ports, and thus Ukrainian agricultural exports, should be extended beyond 60 days to ensure global food supplies, said the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee on Tuesday 14 March.
Committee chair Norbert Lins (EPP, German) and the political group coordinators issued a statement saying that Russia had unilaterally proposed to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was due to expire on Saturday 18 March, for only 60 days, instead of the planned 120 days.
The agreement negotiated and implemented by the UN and Turkey, as well as the EU’s ‘solidarity channels’, have allowed the restoration of Ukrainian grain and fertiliser exports (see EUROPE 13066/34). Prices have fallen, although they remain high.
“To ensure food security, we defend the importance of strengthening our solidarity lanes and call for Russia to stop using the Black Sea grain deal to finance its war”, said the Agriculture Committee members.
According to the UN, since the July 2022 agreement, 1,600 ships have carried 24 million tonnes of grain and other commodities, with 55% of food exports going to developing countries. Consultations on the extension of the agreement were continuing on Tuesday at the UN. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)