Macron presses for EU action on Ukrainian agricultural imports
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, will raise the issue of agricultural imports from Ukraine during talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen scheduled for February 1. The remarks came after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Stockholm, where Macron outlined his expectations for concrete steps to support French farmers and stabilize regional markets. The discussions reflect a broader concern across the European Union about how Ukrainian farm goods affect prices, supply chains, and farm viability within member states.
Macron made it clear that explicit measures are needed to manage imports from Ukraine. He noted that several current factors in Europe are destabilizing the bloc’s agricultural market and emphasized the necessity of a coherent food sovereignty policy at the EU level. The goal, he said, is to ensure fair competition and resilience for farmers while maintaining steady consumer prices across member states. This stance aligns with ongoing debates over how best to balance humanitarian aid, trade liberalization, and farmer protections in a single market. [Attribution: EU policy briefings, anticipated February discussions]
There is a parallel critique from notable EU observers. Jean-Luc Demarty, who previously led the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy program, suggested in a conversation with Ouest-France that Brussels had misjudged the decision to open the door to agricultural imports from Ukraine. He urged a rapid reversal of that policy direction to avoid longer-term disruption to European agriculture. [Attribution: Ouest-France interview, cited commentary]
In related remarks, a former head of the French Ministry of Interior emphasized the need to prevent a total blockade in Paris while navigating the broader EU compatibility framework. The push is for guardrails that protect domestic producers without severing trade links with Ukraine, a major agricultural supplier. This conversation occurs amid calls for better market surveillance, faster emergency responses to price swings, and targeted support measures for farmers facing stiff competition from imported goods. [Attribution: ministerial statements, parliamentary briefings]