The EU will strengthen checks for transporters of Ukrainian grain due to farmersʼ protests

The European Union will strengthen verification of compliance with agreements by carriers when they transport Ukrainian grain. In this way, the EU is trying to solve the problems of the protesting farmers and facilitate a trade process that helps the entire bloc.

This was reported by European Commissioner for Transport Adina Velyan for Reuters.

Farmers are protesting all over Europe, in particular because of allegedly "unfair" competition from Ukraine. Ukraineʼs neighbors say they have been hurt by the EUʼs moves to open "roads of solidarity," waive customs duties and introduce other measures to help Ukraine sell grain.

"Closing borders is never a good idea, especially borders with a neighbor that so needs connections to markets," Adina Valean said in response to Polandʼs blockade of the border with Ukraine.

According to her, as long as the agreements are executed properly, there should be no problems. And now the EU is working on strengthening the implementation of these agreements.

"In other words, we must make sure that the operators do not violate the agreement, that they can only perform bilateral operations, that they have the right to transit," added the European Commissioner.

And she noted that the EU countries could also benefit from trade, because the increase in exports by road transport to Ukraine from Poland, Romania and Slovakia is expressed by a two-digit number and exceeds the increase in the arrival of goods from Ukraine to these countries.

• 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
• Ukraine considers criticism of its products unfounded and calls it a political issue