The European Commission has proposed today (Wednesday, April 27) to suspend import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union (EU) for a period of one year.
The proposal, which is an unprecedented gesture of support, would also see the suspension for one year of all EU anti-dumping and safeguard measures in place on Ukrainian steel exports.
The commission has said that this far-reaching step is designed to help boost Ukraine’s exports to the EU.
The move on duties is aimed at helping to alleviate the difficult situation of Ukrainian producers and exporters in the face of Russia’s military invasion.
European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression is severely affecting the Ukrainian economy.
“I have been in discussions with [Ukrainian] President Zelensky on ways of supporting the economy, beyond the macro-financial assistance and grants we are providing.
“We both agree on the critical importance of a quick and broad import duty suspension to boost Ukraine’s economy. The step we are taking today responds to this call.
“It will greatly facilitate the export of Ukrainian industrial and agricultural goods to the EU. We continue to stand by Ukraine in these dire times,” she added.
Unprecedented move on duties
European Commission executive vice-president and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: “The EU has never before delivered such trade liberalisation measures, which are unprecedented in their scale – granting Ukraine zero tariff, zero quota access to the EU market.
“Since the start of Russia’s aggression, the EU has prioritised the importance of keeping Ukraine’s economy going – which is crucial both to help it win this war and to get back on its feet post-war.
“These measures will directly help Ukrainian producers and exporters. They will inject confidence into the Ukrainian economy and send a strong signal that the EU will to do whatever it takes to help Ukraine in its hour of need,” he added.
The commission said that as well as leading to tragic loss of life and mass displacement of the innocent people of Ukraine, the Russian military aggression is having a devastating impact on Ukraine’s economy and its ability to trade with the rest of the world due to the severe impact on its production capacity and vital export routes.
In this context, the commission said that the EU wanted to do as much as possible to help Ukraine to maintain its trade position with the rest of the world and further deepen its trade relations with the EU.
The EU is also already taking measures on the ground to facilitate overland goods transport to help to get Ukrainian products out into the world, e.g., the commission has already started liberalising the conditions for Ukrainian truck drivers transporting goods between Ukraine and the EU.
It is also facilitating transit and the use of EU infrastructure to channel Ukrainian exports towards third countries i.e. countries outside the EU.
These measures are aimed at adding flexibility and certainty for Ukrainian producers.
The proposal to suspend import duties now needs to be considered and agreed by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.