EU adopts decision to reduce or eliminate customs duties on agri-food products from Ukraine

The EU Justice Council said in a statement that the decision was adopted in the broader context of Ukraine’s EU accession process. According to the Council, the long-term, predictable and mutually beneficial trade measure for the EU and Ukraine will increase trade between the parties, while ensuring that Ukraine’s market access is conditional on its gradual alignment with EU standards on animal welfare, plant protection products and veterinary medicines. It takes into account the specific needs of certain EU agricultural sectors by creating a robust safeguard mechanism that can be activated by either party in the event of market disruption. It also ensures that market access for the most sensitive products, such as sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize and honey, remains more limited and gradual. Full liberalisation is only being considered for certain non-sensitive products, such as milk and dairy products, they were informed. After the Council decision on the text, the trade body of the EU-Ukraine Association Committee must also adopt the decision. The aim of the measure is to accelerate and extend the elimination of tariffs in trade between the EU and Ukraine, they added.

MTI