The agriculture ministers of Central European countries are once again taking joint action against Ukrainian imports

According to István Nagy, in the case of wheat, corn, sunflower, rapeseed and soybeans, it is justified to limit the duty-free status for Ukraine, and it should only be granted to Ukraine within the framework of the previously applied quantitative quotas. In view of the significant increase in imports, our country recommends extending the scope of the quota system to sunflower seeds as well. Hungary would like at least to have temporary additional customs duties imposed by the European Union on grain arriving from Ukraine in the event that the destination of the goods arriving via the Solidarity Corridor is one of the Ukrainian “border” member states. In addition to all of this, in order to manage the situation in the short term and to get the market moving, we ask the Commission that the EU buys for humanitarian purposes the stored grain grown in bordering member states and unsalable due to the price drop caused by imports. Transit shipments would need to operate an EU monitoring and security system. Our country will order new, even more comprehensive and stricter inspections of Ukrainian grain at the border, he added.

Cooperation is the basis of the solution

He explained that the affected countries will send their new solution proposals to the European Commission in a joint letter, which will be discussed at the next meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The minister expressed his hope that Brussels will not differentiate between the “border” countries, but will accept the proposals of the cooperating countries and put a comprehensive and unified solution on the table. We are in solidarity with Ukraine, but we cannot endanger the livelihood of Hungarian farmers and Hungarian agriculture – emphasized István Nagy.

AM