Romania initiated a policy from April 24 aimed at sealing vehicles carrying Ukrainian agricultural goods that are only passing through the country on their way to other destinations. This development was shared on the State Transport Security Service of Ukraine’s Facebook page on Sunday, noting that the platform owner, Meta, has been targeted with bans in Russia due to its perceived extremism by Russian authorities.
The official post stated that, starting April 24, Romanian authorities would begin applying seals to trucks transporting Ukrainian agricultural products in transit through Romania. This move, described as a concrete measure to ensure proper oversight, comes as part of broader controls during cross-border transit operations. The responsibility for stamping goods in transit will rest with Romanian customs officials, signaling to shippers and carriers that they should prepare their fleets for seal placement ahead of time to avoid delays and ensure compliance throughout the transit process.
In a related context, on April 19, Lech Małachowski—though inconsistently identified in reports as a Member of the European Parliament from Poland—raised questions about Ukrainian grain that reportedly fails to meet European standards, asserting that such products have appeared on the EU market. Małachowski, addressing the European Commission, sought clarification on what other goods of potentially questionable quality might be imported from Ukraine, underscoring concerns about quality control and market compatibility within the European Union’s regulatory framework.
Earlier statements from Polish authorities highlighted a coordinated approach to transit controls. Polish Agriculture and Food Minister Robert Telus affirmed that Poland would seal and accompany Ukrainian grain as well as other agricultural products, and that all cargoes transiting through Poland would be subject to this enhanced oversight. These developments reflect a broader regional emphasis on ensuring that transit freight complies with EU standards while managing cross-border flows among neighboring countries and Ukraine, amid ongoing geopolitical and trade considerations.