Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have declared that they support the extension of the EU ban on the import of Ukrainian grain to their countries until the end of 2023, reports Reuters.
In May, the European Union allowed these five neighbors of Ukraine to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, corn, canola and sunflower seeds, while allowing transit of such cargoes for export elsewhere.
This ban is due to end on September 15.
Furthermore, the agriculture ministers of the five countries agree at the same time to support subsidies for grain transit and want other products to be added to the list of import bans, such as raspberries in the case of Poland.
The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry on its official website, an Ukrinform correspondent reports: „We consider it absolutely unacceptable to continue trade restrictions on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine after the ban of the European Commission expires on September 15”, the report states.
According to the ministry, the intentions to add other Ukrainian products to the list of banned imported goods are also unclear.
Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry emphasized that such unilateral restrictions do not correspond to the spirit and letter of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the principles and regulations of the European single market.
The Ukrainian ministry called on the leadership of the European Union and the countries involved to develop a balanced solution in accordance with the EU legislation and the Association Agreement.
