Ukraine expects that after September 15, when the ban on the import of Ukrainian grains to the EU expires, the European Union will cancel any restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products.
The position was published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on September 14.
In order to remove reservations from European countries, Ukraine and the EU agreed to increase the capacity of the Danube Corridor, to transfer sanitary and phytosanitary control from the border to the destination countries of Ukrainian products. The parties also identified steps for the development of new grain warehouses on the territory of the EU, formed alternative transport corridors to the Baltic, Adriatic and Aegean Seas and began working on joint customs control between Ukraine and the EU member states.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that Ukraineʼs competitor on the world grain markets is Russia, which does not have any restrictions on grain exports to the EU.
- On April 28, 2023, the European Commission reached an agreement with Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia regarding the import of Ukrainian agricultural products to the EU. From May 2 to June 5, there was a ban on the free circulation of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds in these five countries. Then the agreement was extended until September 15. The embargo was introduced due to the fact that farmers from Poland and other countries went to protest actions. Farmers complained that Ukrainian grain was settling in the countries and was not being exported further, due to which the purchase prices for grain fell sharply.
- Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia advocate banning the import of Ukrainian grain until the end of 2023. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine will submit Poland to arbitration at the World Trade Organization over the grain embargo.
- On September 14, Bulgaria canceled the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain.