EU farm organizations have welcomed the vote in the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, which called for stronger safeguards against food imports in the context of the European Commission’s recent proposal to further liberalize trade with Ukraine.
This, as European Pravda writes, reports Euractive.
At the end of January, the European Commission officially proposed extending the suspension of import quotas and duties for Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, while simultaneously introducing safeguards for agricultural products, which several EU countries demanded.
Despite the inclusion of safeguards against excessive food imports in the EU proposal, the EU’s six main farmer and food producer associations believe the measures pose a threat to the stability of the EU food market.
On Monday evening, the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee approved the conclusion, which meets the demands of EU farmers.
The opinion is addressed to the competent trade committee, which may or may not take the amendments into account.
Copa and Cogeca, EU poultry processors and traders, sugar producers, corn producers, beet growers and the poultry and game egg wholesalers’ union said in a joint press release that the agriculture committee vote “proves that compromise regarding trade measures against Ukraine is possible, and the trade committee “should take inspiration from this.”
Safeguards should cover all sectors, while an “emergency brake” designed to reinstate tariffs on poultry, eggs and sugar should also cover cereals, honey and oilseeds, according to the opinion endorsed by MEPs.
While the Commission has proposed above average import levels in 2022-23 as a trigger for the emergency brake mechanism, Agriculture MEPs have proposed 2021-22, i.e. pre-war levels.
According to MEPs from the Agrarian Committee, the EU should use funds from the 50 billion fund for Ukraine to purchase and store food imported from Kyiv, to stabilize market prices in the event of an excessive influx of food products.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Club of Agricultural Business (UCAB) addressed members of the Trade Committee of the European Parliament.
“Your vote could be decisive for Ukraine’s economic fate in this crucial year,” reads a press release issued by UCAB on Tuesday.
“Any proposals to limit Ukrainian agricultural imports to the European market could be a disaster for the Ukrainian economy,” the statement said. Meanwhile, in the Trade Committee, MEPs submitted 51 amendments to the regulation.
Some of them echo the amendments of the Agrarian Committee, for example, regarding the period 2021-22 and the extension of the “emergency brake” to grains, oilseeds and wheat.
EU Council pre-approved the proposal European Commission on trade liberalization without changes.
Read also: Trade with compromise: under what conditions Ukraine will maintain free access to the EU market.
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2024-02-28 06:19:03
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