Ukraine offers Poland a plan to unblock the border

For the last five months, Ukraine has not sold its grain, corn, sunflower seeds and rapeseed to the Polish market.

This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal in an address to the Poles.

On September 16, 2023, the Government of Ukraine passed a decision on licensing the export of a part of agricultural products. That is, it is currently impossible to export grain, corn, rapeseed and sunflower to the Polish market without Polandʼs permission. As there are currently no such permits, exports do not take place, the Prime Minister notes.

According to him, Ukrainian grain goes through Poland only in transit. It is about 5% of Ukrainian agricultural exports, because the main route is the "grain corridor" through the Black Sea.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the blockade affects the entire Polish-Ukrainian trade and the economy of both countries. Not only Ukraine will lose from this, but also Polish entrepreneurs who export $12 billion worth of goods to the Ukrainian market every year.

With this in mind, Shmyhal proposed a plan to unblock the Polish-Ukrainian border — the "Plan of mutual understanding". It consists of five steps.

Restrictions on the export of certain goods

First, Ukraine agrees with the proposal of the European Commission to export poultry meat, eggs and sugar to the EU without quotas and duties, if the export volumes do not exceed the indicators of 2022-2023. Otherwise, the restrictions will return to these goods.

According to Shmygal, Ukraine is also ready to continue the current mechanism of exporting grain, corn, sunflower and rapeseed, according to which these goods will not enter its market without Polandʼs permission.

Screening of agricultural and transport policy

The second step — Ukraine will turn to the European Commission with a proposal to conduct an urgent screening of agrarian and transport policy. According to Shmygal, this is necessary in order to "remove manipulations" surrounding the quality of Ukrainian agricultural products.

"At the same time, Ukraineʼs principled position is full liberalization of trade with the EU. This is a continuation of the "economic visa-free regime". The issue of trade between Ukraine and the EU will be resolved with the EU itself, and not at the level of individual countries," Shmyhal said.

Stopping of Russian exports to the EU

Thirdly, Ukraine offers the Polish government to adopt a joint appeal to the European Commission with a call to stop Russian agricultural exports to the EU.

In 11 months of 2023, Russia sold €2.5 billion worth of agricultural products and food products to Europe, which is 5.1 million tons of food. For 2022 — 4.9 million tons. Moreover, Russian food exports to the EU grow during the war, the Prime Minister notes.

In addition, Ukraine asks the European Commission to limit the agricultural imports of third countries to the EU, as is currently the case with Ukraine, and to introduce increased monitoring.

Also, the Ukrainian side proposes to introduce joint control at the border of Ukraine with the EU countries and to exchange customs information.

Creation of a tripartite headquarters

As a fourth step, in order to resolve all misunderstandings, Ukraine proposes to create a "Tripartite Headquarters: Ukraine, Poland, European Commission" co-chaired by the agricultural ministers of Ukraine, Poland and a representative of the European Commission. It should work around the clock, and Ukrainian and Polish agricultural associations should be involved in its work, the Prime Minister notes.

Skipping the critical without obstacles

At the same time, the Ukrainian government asks to ensure the unimpeded passage of goods necessary for national security. In addition to ammunition, military equipment, humanitarian aid and medical supplies, Ukraine is demanding the release of "critically needed" fuel.

The Prime Minister emphasizes the need to resolve the issue of blocking the border much earlier than March 28, the date when a joint meeting of the Ukrainian and Polish governments should take place. Otherwise, Ukraine reserves the right to apply mirror measures at checkpoints, Shmygal said.

• From November 2023, Poles periodically block checkpoints on the border with Ukraine. Polish carriers, and then farmers, have been obstructing the movement of trucks for varying lengths of time, demanding from their authorities and the European Union to improve working conditions and preferences. They are asking for a ban on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine that do not meet EU standards, the return of the permit system for Ukrainian transporters, subsidies for fertilizers, compensation for excise duty on fuel, payment of subsidies, and have other demands that have nothing to do with Ukraine.
• On February 20 , Polish farmers began a general strike across the country. The Association of Hunters joined them. Protesters blocked six checkpoints on the border with Ukraine. But in the evening of the same day, traffic restrictions near three checkpoints were eased.
• Against the backdrop of the Polesʼ blockade of Ukraineʼs western border, Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the government to be at the border with Poland by February 24 and asked Prime Minister Donald Tusk to come there as well, urging Duda to support the governmentʼs dialogue.
• The Polish authorities agreed to a meeting, but in a different format — on March 28 in Warsaw at the level of representatives of the governments of Poland and Ukraine.