The European Commission does not agree with the ban on Ukrainian grain imports

The decision of Poland and Hungary to ban Ukrainian grain imports, accused of destabilizing agricultural markets, is “not acceptable”, the European Commission said on Monday, announcing that it is “considering” a second aid package for farmers in the affected countries. informs Agerpres.

The European Union suspended in May 2022, for one year, customs duties on all products imported from Ukraine and organized to allow it to export its grain stocks after the closure of some maritime routes through the Black Sea following the Russian invasion.

Following the decision, grain arrivals from Ukraine increased in neighboring European states, causing silos to fill up and local prices to collapse.

The European Commission indicated on Monday that it “requested additional information from the competent authorities to be able to evaluate these measures”, especially their legal foundations.

“It is important to emphasize that commercial policy belongs to the exclusive competence of the EU and that unilateral actions are not acceptable”, insisted the spokeswoman Miriam Garcia Ferrer.

‘In these difficult times, it is crucial to coordinate and align decisions within the EU’, she added.

In Poland, the ban will apply to imports of grain, sugar, meat, fruit, vegetables, milk, eggs and other food products. In Hungary, it covers imports of cereals, oilseeds and several other products.