
Kutná Hora – The European Union needs to reassess its regulations regarding the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. While the current elimination of most tariffs presents challenges for the EU’s internal market, imposing standard tariffs could negatively impact a nation under Russian aggression. This statement was made by Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL) to reporters ahead of the government’s off-site meeting in Kutná Hora. According to a report by the Financial Times (FT), the EU is planning to raise tariffs on agricultural imports from Ukraine significantly.
Výborný emphasized that the annual exemption allowing Ukrainian agricultural imports will expire at the beginning of June. “I have noticed signals from the European Parliament during the spring that extending this arrangement in its current form is proving challenging for some lawmakers,” he stated. He acknowledged that European producers are facing difficulties, such as the impact of Ukrainian sugar imports.
“Restoring standard tariff levels entirely could jeopardize Ukrainian exports. It is essential to find a compromise that recognizes this situation as a form of support for a nation resisting Russian aggression,” Výborný remarked. He mentioned that he will be attending a meeting of European agriculture ministers at the end of May and anticipates discussions about the next steps.
According to the FT, Poland initiated the decision to end the special trade relations between the EU and Kyiv, which have allowed most Ukrainian products to enter the union market without tariffs. Since 2022, the duty-free arrangement has applied to Ukrainian poultry, wheat, and sugar, with much of these goods being funneled through the EU to Africa and Asia. However, farmers and politicians in Poland, France, and other member states have raised concerns that Ukrainian products are undercutting prices in their domestic markets.
The Ukrainian government estimates that if trade conditions with the EU revert to their pre-invasion status, it could result in a loss of 3.5 billion euros (87.2 billion crowns) in annual revenues. (May 14)













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