Five EU countries advocate banning the import of Ukrainian grain until the end of 2023

Five EU countries — Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia — are in favor of banning the import of Ukrainian grain by the end of the year.

This was stated by Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus, Reuters reports.

In May, the European Union allowed five of Ukraineʼs neighbors to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, but allowed the transit of such cargoes for export to other countries. This ban should expire on September 15.

"We support the ban on imports to our countries until the end of the year. My point is that even if it fails, some countries will introduce their own restrictions. Our declaration is clear," said Telus.

The ministers of agriculture of the mentioned countries also agree that they support subsidies for grain transit and want other products to be added to the list of import bans, such as raspberries in the case of Poland, the Polish minister added.

• On July 19, the ministers of agriculture of Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia met in Warsaw (Poland) to discuss the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. They believe that the embargo on the import of products from Ukraine should be extended until the end of the year.
• Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that if the European Union does not maintain the ban on grain imports from Ukraine to these five countries after September 15, it will be introduced unilaterally. At the same time, the transit of Ukrainian food through these countries will continue, Morawiecki emphasized.
• On July 19, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliya Svyrydenko said that Ukraine may apply mirror measures if the European Union continues the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal called on Poland to open its borders for the export of Ukrainian grain.