Ukraine, led by its Minister of Agriculture, Taras Vysotsky, has stated that it cannot agree to an EU membership model that permanently restricts the sale of certain food products to the union. These remarks come after the European Commission supported such a model on Tuesday as part of the review of pre-accession policies to prepare the EU for future expansions.
Difference Between Temporary and Permanent Restrictions
Vysotsky emphasized in a written statement: "For us, there is a fundamental difference between a transitional period and a permanent restriction. Ukraine is ready for a transitional period, but a permanent restriction would contradict the logic of full membership in the EU." This issue arises particularly as Ukraine exports millions of tons of grain to the global market and sells to the EU under a strict quota regime. Some countries, such as Poland, have blocked grain imports from Ukraine to protect their agricultural sectors.
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Commission's Proposal and Its Implications
The European Commission's proposal states that the body seeks to "significantly limit financial support and market access for sensitive agricultural products." Instead of providing full market access to Kyiv, the Commission prefers to assist Ukraine in returning to its "historical" export markets, which include Africa and the Middle East.
Vysotsky stressed that Ukraine should not be seen "only" as a threat to European farmers. He argued that the country could help the EU reduce its dependence on imports from third countries for goods such as fertilizers, soybeans, and lysine for animal feed, and improve EU producers' access to Black Sea export routes. Additionally, Ukraine could serve as a location for investment in food processing facilities.
The Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture added: "Our goal is to achieve membership with sectors that sell not only grains and raw materials to Europe but also animal feed, additives, processed products, and biofuels." Vysotsky also confirmed that Ukraine is open to transitional periods that could include gradual agricultural support, temporary quotas, and protective measures for sensitive products. However, he noted that these periods should have an expiration date.
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