Measures by the EU to protect its producers from “rising” Ukrainian imports have been criticised by farmer representative bodies in the cereals, oilseeds, poultry, eggs, and sugar sectors.
The European Commission yesterday (Wednesday, January 31), proposed to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year.
These measures supporting Ukraine have been in place since June 2022. In its proposal, the commission said it will reinforce protection for sensitive EU agricultural products.
Imports of some agri-products from Ukraine to the EU rose significantly in 2022 and 2023. EU agri-food imports from Ukraine grew from €7 billion before the war to €13 billion in 2022.
Of this increase, almost €5 billion worth of exports went to Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, according to EU Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski.
EU imports from Ukraine
Six European farmer representative bodies have now said that the proposal renewing trade support measures for Ukraine will not provide sufficient relief for affected EU producers.
The commission proposed an emergency brake for the most sensitive products – poultry, eggs and sugar – which would stabilise imports at the average import volumes in 2022 and 2023.
The organisations criticised the decision to base the threshold on the average of 2022 and 2023 and said that the exclusion of cereals and oilseeds from such measures is “unacceptable”.
The licensing system for cereals and oilseeds between Ukraine and individual member states, such as Romania and Bulgaria, does not provide an effective EU-wide solution, they said.
While it is in the “EU’s duty and interest” to continue supporting Ukraine, they said the solution concerning the impact of the imports on EU producers must be effectively addressed.
The farmer representative bodies believe that EU efforts to help Ukraine are not equitably shared, with the agricultural sector bearing a “disproportionate and unsustainable burden”.
“If the solutions put in place are not effective in addressing the problem, the survival of EU cereals, oilseeds, poultry, eggs, and sugar producers in the neighbouring countries and beyond will be at stake.
“As will the unwavering support to Ukraine. We also believe that it is essential to propose an EU-level solution to this issue to preserve EU unity and the integrity of the EU single market,” they said.
The six organisations are now calling on the EU Council and the European Parliament, which will now consider the proposal, to “strike the right balance” regarding the following:
- Base the automatic safeguard trigger on the yearly average for the combined years 2021 and 2022, and also include cereals and oilseeds;
- Ensure that any products imported above this threshold should be required to be exported outside the EU, and thus for transit only inside the EU market.
The six organisations comprise the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU; European Association of Sugar Manufacturers; European Confederation of Maize Production; International Confederation of European Beet Growers; Copa Cogeca; and the European Union of Wholesale with Eggs, Egg Products, Poultry and Game.