The prime ministers of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia have written to the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding intervention regarding the inflow of Ukrainian grain into the European Union. The initiative came from the head of the Polish government, Mateusz Morawiecki.
The letter on measures to counter the negative effects of increased imports of agricultural products from Ukraine on the European Union market – in addition to the head of the Polish government – was also signed by the Prime Ministers of Hungary, Viktor Orban, Romania, Nicolae Ciuca, Romania, Eduard Heger and Bulgaria, Rumen Radew.
The leaders of the states emphasize that “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine not only caused a huge increase in production costs in the agricultural sector and an increase in business risk, but also caused problems in EU agricultural markets.”
However, these difficulties do not apply to the entire European market
they indicate.
The most serious problems occur in countries bordering or close to Ukraine. These problems are related to a significant increase in the supply of Ukrainian products to the markets of EU Member States, especially those bordering or in the vicinity of Ukraine
Writing Prime Ministers.
In particular, there was an unprecedented increase in imports of grains, oilseeds, eggs, poultry, sugar, apple juice, blueberries, apples, flour, honey and pasta
– they sum up.
Politicians also indicate that problems have arisen in the management of grain surpluses in warehouses, which has destabilized the market for grains, industrial crops and oilseeds, especially wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflowers and imposed additional costs on agricultural producers .
Given the scale of the above phenomena, it is necessary to significantly increase the amount of resources allocated to EU support activities. Additional resources are needed because the resources of the CAP and national budgets are insufficient
point out the leaders.
Therefore, we call for the activation of additional funding sources, in addition to the planned emergency measures, to support agricultural producers who have suffered losses and are at risk of losing financial liquidity
they add.
According to them, “these measures can also contribute to achieving the original purpose of the +belts of solidarity+, which is to export Ukrainian agricultural surpluses to countries in Africa and the Middle East, thus preventing famine.”
We call on the Commission to investigate the possibility of buying grain surpluses from neighboring Member States for humanitarian purposes
calling Prime Ministers.
We also reiterate our call for EU financial support to accelerate the development of transport infrastructure and enhance connectivity (railway, road, port infrastructure, expansion of border terminals, improvement of Black Sea and Danube port infrastructure and intermodal connections) and for economic operators additional vehicles (freight equipment, ships and trucks) to ensure and streamline the circulation of the ever-growing flow of goods from Ukraine to the EU and to enable their smooth transfer to third countries
– we read in the letter.
In addition, we call on the Commission to propose a joint EU solution that, in cooperation with the World Food Program (WFP), would ensure the purchase of Ukrainian grain so that it does not end up in EU member states. This would help maintain food trade flows and mitigate the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on third countries
calling the leaders.
As they point out, it is also crucial to speed up the process regarding the proposed support mechanisms at EU level.
This is of great importance given the scale of the problems caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine
they emphasize.
We also ask the Commission to speed up the notification procedures for programs implemented on the basis of the Commission Communication – Temporary crisis framework for state aid measures to support the economy following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
– it was written.
In the field of trade mechanisms, we propose to change the current legal basis for the importation of agricultural products from Ukraine to introduce the possibility to regulate the volume and direction of the excessive inflow of agricultural products.
write the leaders.
Automatic support mechanism for farmers
They recommend the introduction of an automatic support mechanism for farmers in regions and sectors affected by excessive imports from Ukraine, which distort EU markets and harm EU producers.
In the regulation currently under discussion in the EU on extending autonomous trade measures to imports from Ukraine, we propose to change the rules on the safeguard clause so that tariff rate quotas are reduced from their annual levels in case tariffs are reintroduced introduced under the Association Agreement
they indicate.
In addition to the mechanism to monitor the impact of the proposed regulation, we also propose that the EU should retain the possibility to react to unfair practices on imports from Ukraine (e.g. in the form of enhanced surveillance or the possibility to initiate anti-dumping procedures ). The problem of excess quantities of goods remaining in the Member States, threatening the solidarity belts, must also be tackled effectively
– we read on.
As the Prime Ministers note, “if market distortions that harm farmers from our countries cannot be eliminated in any other way, we ask the Commission to put in place appropriate procedures to reintroduce tariffs and tariff quotas on imports from Ukraine.”
If changes are needed in CAP co-financed programs in response to the crisis caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine, we also suggest that the Commission adopts (as emergency measures) the changes proposed by Member States as soon as possible.
wrote the prime ministers.
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mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce