Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister, Taras Kachka, said on Thursday 5 October that his country’s dispute settlement procedure with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against Hungary, Poland and Slovakia was “on hold”. Kyiv had requested the opening of WTO consultations on 18 September because of the import bans imposed by these three countries on Ukrainian grain (see EUROPE 13252/2).
“While we are looking for a practical solution, our disputes within the WTO are on hold for the time being”, Taras Kachka told the Interfax-Ukraine agency. He also expressed confidence that the problem of grain exports could be resolved in the coming weeks or months, because, in his view, “there is no systemic obstacle to solving this problem”.
The WTO has not received any formal notification of a pause from Ukraine at this stage, but the country is not obliged to do so as such. The consultation phase in which the four parties find themselves can simply remain open for as long as it takes.
“Our aim is not only to withdraw the WTO complaint, but also to highlight the fact that Ukraine and the EU have similar approaches to agriculture, and we want to show unity between us all, including with Poland and Hungary”, Mr Kachka told a group of journalists, including EUROPE, in Brussels on Thursday 5 October.
On the same day, Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller said that putting the WTO dispute on hold was “a necessary step”. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal and Isalia Stieffatre)