BRUSSELS – After long back and forth, Parliament and Council reached an agreement on Monday 8 April on temporary agricultural trade measures in favor of Ukraine. The agreement came following the Twenty-Seven had decided at the end of March to take a restrictive approach to the previous agreement reached at the time with the parliamentarians, in a context in which doubts are growing regarding the many facilities granted to Kiev in the war once morest Russia.
In March, among other things, the Twenty-Seven had decided to extend the reference period with which to calculate the ceiling beyond which the safeguards would be triggered – no longer just 2022-2023, but also the second half of 2021.
In fact, the modification desired by the Twenty-Seven increases the probability of the emergency brake being activated. The aim is to help Ukrainian exports, without however jeopardizing European production.
In essence, the exemption from customs duties enjoyed by products from the war-ravaged country since 2022 will be extended for another year starting from June, but imports of poultry, eggs, sugar, corn, honey and oats they will be limited to average volumes imported between mid-2021 and the end of 2023, above which tariffs will automatically be reimposed. Wheat is excluded from the measure for now, even if Brussels has promised particular attention.
«By extending support (in terms of customs duties, ndr) for another year, this agreement demonstrates continued European solidarity”, while “strengthening safeguards to protect European Union farmers in the event of market disruptions”, commented the Latvian MEP, Sandra Kalniete, rapporteur of the text .
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2024-04-09 11:08:51
