The European Commission stressed on Wednesday that it is doing everything it can to find a solution for grain exports via the Black Sea that is best for all parties involved.
“Our position is clear. We want to find a solution that yields the best results for all parties involved. Our solidarity corridors offer Ukraine alternatives to export via the Black Sea”regarded as the Commissioner with the Trade portfolio, Valdis Dombrovskis.
According to POLITICO, Ukraine has threatened the European Union (EU) with a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization if Brussels enforces restrictions on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
Ukrainian exports of these products to the markets of Poland, Hungary and three other EU countries have been suspended following a deal struck by the Commission to protect farmers in these countries from a cheaper supply from the war-ravaged neighboring country covering much of the region. the area used for agriculture.
On Friday and Saturday, experts from the European Commission visited Romania to strengthen the capacity of the Danube route with the aim of improving the flow of goods to and from Ukraine along the solidarity corridors.
Romania, a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO, has been helping Ukraine sell grain since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
The Danube, which originates in Germany and flows into the Black Sea, is an important trade route for several European countries, including Ukraine and Romania.
“The European Commission has set up a joint coordination platform for Ukrainian exports to work closely with countries such as Romania, Moldova and Ukraine to improve the transit and flow of goods to and from Ukraine along the corridors of solidarity”the community guardianship explained in an information note released Friday.
“The platform is working well on practical solutions to remove bottlenecks and speed up traffic so that Ukraine can export grain through the EU as an alternative to Black Sea ports, after Russia abandoned the Black Sea grain initiative and shipping in the Black Sea. Sea”strengthens.
On Thursday, the European Commission admitted it had extended the agreement reached last April with five EU member states, including Romania, until December to guarantee the transit of Ukrainian grains.
In May 2022, the EU suspended customs duties on all products imported from Ukraine for a year and worked to enable the export of its grain supplies following the closure of Black Sea routes following Russia’s invasion of the country in February 2022.
Countries neighboring the EU have seen a significant increase in supplies of maize, wheat or sunflowers from Ukraine, saturating stocks and lowering local prices.
Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria therefore banned the import of grains and other agricultural products from Ukraine in mid-April. They said they wanted to protect their farmers and confronted the European Commission, which is responsible for EU trade policy.
At the time, the Community administration concluded an agreement in principle with these four countries, as well as with Romania.
Source: DN
