The Council of the EU adopted a resolution on the introduction of prohibitive duties on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus.
This was reported by the press service of the department.
The order raises the tariffs to a level that will effectively halt imports of these products.
"These measures will prevent the destabilization of the EU grain market, stop Russian exports of misappropriated grain produced on the territory of Ukraine, and prevent Russia from using revenues from exports to the EU to finance its aggressive war against Ukraine," said Vincent Van Peteghem, Belgiumʼs finance minister.
The decree raises import tariffs on grains, oilseeds and derived products, as well as beet pulp pellets and dried peas from the Russian Federation, as well as from Belarus, for which importers currently pay no or low duties. In addition, these goods will be deprived of access to EU tariff quotas.
The innovations will enter into force on July 1, 2024.
- EU grain imports from Russia have increased significantly since Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
- The Associated Press agency wrote in early October 2022 that Russia had exported at least $530 million worth of grain from Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. At the same time, the journalists received Russian documents that indicated that Russia planned to export almost 1.8 million tons of stolen grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine by the end of the year.