The EU has cut tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural products including cereals, pork, beef, poultry and a handful of additional products.
The annual value of this support measure will be nearly €500 million in tariff reductions, of which almost €400 million accrue to the agricultural sector. The EU commission says the ambitious concessions have been made taking into account specific sensitivities.
The move came following a meeting between EU Farm Commissioner Dacian Cioloș and Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Ihor Shvaika to discuss ways to further develop bilateral cooperation and trade.
Speaking after the meeting, Commissioner Cioloș said: “We have held a lengthy discussion today on concrete measures to step up our cooperation for the benefit of Ukrainian farmers and for all those who live in Ukraine’s rural areas. The Minister is clearly committed to achieving tangible results and I am committed to help. A first step has already been taken in the past fortnight, by opening major new trade opportunities for Ukrainian producers exporting onto the EU market.”
The meeting was part of a number of senior discussions which have taken place in Brussels this week between members of the Commission and the Ukrainian Government.