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| Ukrainian grain exports News Roundup for September 18th, 2023 |
| 2023-09-19 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. European Commission assessed Ukraine's complaints to the WTO against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia [Regnum] European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski said he was surprised by Ukraine's decision to file complaints with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over a dispute with these countries over their ban on importing Ukrainian grain. He spoke about this following a meeting of the Council on Agriculture of the EU countries in Brussels. Kiev filed these claims on September 18. Wojciechowski promised that the European Commission will study the situation and consider next steps. The official also noted that the countries against which complaints were filed “made great efforts” to export Ukrainian agricultural products. The European Commissioner believes that instead of court proceedings, it is necessary to seek “friendly solutions.” As Regnum reported, on September 15, the European Commission did not extend restrictions on the import of four types of Ukrainian agricultural products into a number of EU countries, but obliged Kiev to introduce export control measures. In response to this decision, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia imposed an embargo on grain and other goods from Ukraine. On September 18, these countries announced that they were ceasing to participate in the work of the European Commission’s coordination platform on grain problems due to Kiev’s threats to file a claim with the WTO. Warsaw, Budapest and Bratislava explained their move by fears that Ukraine could use the information provided through the platform. The Slovak authorities, in turn, also declared their readiness to defend their position at the WTO on the ban on the import of Ukrainian food into Slovakia. More from regnum.ru Slovakia expressed its readiness to defend the ban on grain imports from Ukraine at the WTO Slovakia, within the framework of interaction with the World Trade Organization (WTO), is ready to defend the country’s ban on the import of Ukrainian grain, Slovak Minister of Agriculture Josef Bires said following a meeting in Brussels, the teraz portal reports. Earlier, Kyiv filed complaints to the WTO against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia due to the food embargo in force in these countries from Ukraine. According to Bires, Bratislava does not intend to abandon its position without receiving appropriate guarantees that imports will be brought under control. He stressed that Slovakia is ready to provide the WTO with justification for its decision. The minister also clarified that studying the proposed mechanism for controlling the import of Ukrainian grain may take up to two months. As reported by IA Regnum , earlier the director of the Institute of Socio-Economic Research of the Financial University under the Government, Alexei Zubets , said that a number of EU countries are restricting grain imports from Ukraine, since Kiev had previously violated its obligations. The economist recalled that the Ukrainian side deceived Poland by promising that its food would go in transit and would not settle on Polish territory. He also expressed the opinion that Ukraine’s threats to sue these countries in an international arbitration court will end in nothing. On September 7, Croatia, after negotiations with Kiev, decided to begin exporting Ukrainian grain through its ports. On September 18, the representative of the European Commission (EC), Miriam García Ferrer , said that the European Commission is aware of the decision of some EU countries to introduce unilateral measures regarding Ukrainian agricultural products. She added that the EC will evaluate the actions of these states. Yet more from regnum.ru Poland, Hungary and Slovakia announced a boycott of the EC's plans for Ukrainian grain Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, in response to Ukraine’s threats to file a claim with the World Trade Organization (WTO), are stopping their participation in the work of the European Commission’s coordination platform on grain problems, the RAP agency reported. “Poland, Hungary and Slovakia refuse to work within the framework of the platform,” the message said. The text of the material notes that the countries made this decision out of caution and the fact that Ukraine could use the information provided within the coordination platform against Poland, Slovakia and Hungary during proceedings at the WTO. As Regnum reported , Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka said in September that Ukraine would file a claim with the WTO against Hungary, Poland and Slovakia for extending the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain after September 15, contrary to the decision of the European Commission. He called open defiance of Brussels by these three countries a systemic problem. According to him, for many years it was the European Commission that acted as a trade negotiator and trade policy institution for the entire European Union. The bans imposed by three Central European countries are designed to protect local farmers from a sharp increase in Ukrainian grain exports. The European Commission announced on September 18 that it would evaluate the decision of a number of EU countries to maintain the embargo on agricultural products from Ukraine. The EC expects to discuss controversial issues regarding Ukrainian grain at a meeting of the coordination platform on September 25. On September 15, the European Commission did not extend the embargo on Ukrainian grain supplies. In turn, Ukraine pledged to take measures to prevent surges in grain supplies to the EU, and also to present an action plan to control grain exports to the EU by September 18. The European Commission introduced a ban on the export of Ukrainian grain to Eastern European countries - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - on May 2, 2023. Even more from regnum.ru Poland rejected Ukraine's proposals for grain exports The proposals for the import of grains that Ukraine put forward to the European Union do not suit Poland and other neighboring countries. The Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported this with reference to sources . The material notes that the EU countries bordering Ukraine considered this proposal, which involves a system of export permits, to be insufficient. “At a meeting in Brussels, Poland criticized Ukraine’s new grain proposal,” the report notes. According to Warsaw, this does not solve the issue of influx and control of Ukrainian grain. As Regnum reported , on May 2, the European Commission introduced a ban on the export of Ukrainian grain from Ukraine to Eastern European countries - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Previously, these countries independently stopped the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. After this, the head of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky threatened the EU with an international arbitration court if the European Union extends the ban on grain imports from the republic. He appealed to the European Commission, declaring zero tolerance for violations of the association agreement and free market conditions. On September 15, the European Commission did not extend the embargo on Ukrainian grain supplies. In turn, Ukraine pledged to take measures to prevent surges in grain supplies to the EU, and also to present an action plan to control grain exports in the European Union by September 18. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Ukrainian grain should not be allowed into Polish markets. Later, on September 12, he put forward an ultimatum to the European Commission to extend the ban on the import of grain from Ukraine into the country. He noted that if the EC does not extend this measure, the Polish authorities will do it themselves. As a result, Warsaw, Bratislava and Budapest extended restrictions on grain supplies from Ukraine with their own decisions, while Sofia completely opened its market to Ukrainian agricultural products, and Bucharest said it would make a final decision after familiarizing itself with Kiev’s action plan on export control measures. Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka said on September 18 that Kiev will file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Hungary, Poland and Slovakia for extending the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain contrary to the decision of the European Commission. |
| Posted by:badanov |