Slovakia and Poland will demand money from the EU to protect their farmers from imports from Ukraine
Slovakia and Poland will insist on the creation of a special fund to support farmers affected by the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture of Slovakia Richard Takac, and informs TASR.
According to him, the current terms of access of Ukrainian products to the EU market differ from the previous promises of the European Commission. Takach noted that instead of the planned increase in quotas by 25%, the European Commission is now proposing an increase of 400-500% for honey and sugar, which, in his opinion, means significantly larger volumes of duty-free imports.
The minister also expressed doubts about the quality and safety of Ukrainian products, noting that European farmers follow strict standards, which, according to him, are not followed by Ukrainian producers. He added that it is more profitable for Ukrainian exporters to supply products to EU border countries, avoiding expensive transport to the West.
The Slovak minister emphasized that the country’s government will put pressure on the European Commission not only through the specialized ministry, but also through the prime minister, demanding the creation of a separate fund within the framework of the new financial architecture and common agricultural policy for the states bordering Ukraine.
According to him, all of Ukraine’s neighbors should act together to increase quotas and launch a compensation mechanism. Takacs noted that he discussed the same position with his Polish colleague on Monday.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of Poland Stefan Krajewski confirmed that the neighboring states are discussing trade relations with Ukraine. He emphasized that support for Ukraine will be combined with care for farmers, processors and businesses in EU countries.
