Ukraine and EU countries will meet in Brussels to resolve the grain issue

Next Thursday, September 28, representatives of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and other interested EU member states will meet in Brussels to discuss solving problems with the export of Ukrainian grain.

European Commission spokeswoman Miriam Garcia Ferrer said that the action plan proposed by Ukraine should be adopted at the meeting, Ukrinform reports.

"Today we completed the development of our comments on the Ukrainian action plan, which was presented on Monday at the meeting of the Coordination Platform. The exchange of views was very constructive, we saw a very positive way forward. Today we sent an invitation to participate in the Coordination Platform meeting next Thursday. We will have the opportunity to finalize this action plan so that it can be operational as soon as possible," she said.

Ferrer added that the action plan has different components. It is, in particular, about tighter control over the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, an information campaign to explain to exporters the vulnerability of markets in neighboring countries, generalization of information about the final consumers of products, etc.

The main element of the plan is the licensing of export operations with agricultural products, which were previously covered by protective trade measures from the EU.

• Disputes over grain flared up after Warsaw extended the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, although the European Union lifted its own restrictions on September 15.
• In addition to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary unilaterally extended the embargo on Ukrainian grain. Because of this, Ukraine is preparing a claim to arbitration at the World Trade Organization.
• On September 19, at the request of the European Commission, Ukraine changed the rules of grain export, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal offered a compromise to Poland and Hungary.
• On September 21, the Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine agreed with his Polish colleague to find a solution regarding the import of grain that would take into account the interests of both countries. On the same day, Ukraine and Slovakia agreed on a grain trade system.