Following the ‘Agriculture’ Council meeting in Brussels on Monday 11 December, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, said that as part of the negotiations to extend the trade liberalisation measures with Ukraine, which expire in June 2024, it would be appropriate to instigate “a new safeguard instrument” in response to excessive imports of poultry, eggs and sugar from Ukraine into Europe.
“The Commissioner spoke on his own behalf”, said a European Commission spokesperson, on Wednesday 13 December, and that the official position of the institution was that no new measures were on the agenda.
“The solidarity lanes are working well: from May 2022 to November 2023, 93 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds were exported from Ukraine, 58 million tonnes of this thanks to the solidarity lanes”, said Janusz Wojciechowski at the press conference following the ‘Agriculture’ Council.
He added that concerns had been expressed by ministers from countries close to Ukraine about certain sectors “for which we should monitor the situation: poultry and sugar. We are seeing a considerable increase in the volume of imports of these products”, warned the Commissioner. According to Janusz Wojciechowski, “a new safeguard instrument should be developed if imports are too high”.
The increase in exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to the EU continues to worry MEPs, certain EU countries and agricultural organisations (see EUROPE 13302/5).
The Ukrainian grain harvest for 2023 is forecast at 81 million tonnes, including 58 million tonnes of grains and 23 million tonnes of oilseeds.
Ukraine will be looking to export around 59 million tonnes of grains, oilseeds and by-products to the world, according to data the Commission has obtained. Some of these exports are destined for the EU market. The transfer of these grains to import-dependent Member States such as Spain, where domestic grain production has fallen significantly, should continue to be facilitated, according to European sources, stressing the need to avoid cereals remaining in Member States neighbouring Ukraine or in other parts of the EU where they are not needed.
For its part, Ukraine is currently implementing its action plan, as agreed at the end of the implementation of restrictions in September. As well as improving data collection and transparency, the action plan includes a requirement to obtain government licences for aluminium exports. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)