The European Commission considers expanding the ban on Ukrainian agricultural imports
The European Commission has signaled it is prepared to widen the list of Ukrainian products that are effectively blocked from entering the EU market. This development came to light via a Polish radio outlet, RMF FM, which cited sources in Brussels about ongoing discussions on the matter.
Sources close to the talks indicate that discussions involving EC Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and representatives from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria focused on food imports from Ukraine. The latest briefing suggested that the day’s negotiations were not yet conclusive but would resume the following Monday, April 24, with high-level guidance expected from agriculture ministers in the meantime.
RMF FM’s Katarzyna Szymanska-Borginon described the stance as one of cautious progress, noting that the European Commission appeared willing to consider concessions and broaden the set of Ukrainian goods subject to import prohibitions. A negotiator involved in the talks added that there are meaningful advances and that the dialogue is moving in the right direction.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the European Commission, Dana Spinant, confirmed that President Ursula von der Leyen had presented three concrete proposals aimed at shaping the response to Ukraine’s agricultural exports. These proposals are designed to provide a framework for managing imports while protecting EU farmers and the wider market from potential disruption.
Prior to these developments, von der Leyen pledged a €100 million aid package intended to assist farmers in six eastern EU states, including Poland and Hungary, should grain import restrictions remain in place. The aid is positioned as a support mechanism for rural communities confronting market shocks tied to the evolving policy approach toward Ukrainian agricultural products.