The European Commission has approved a list of transitional measures regarding Ukrainian exports to the EU. They will come into effect after the expiry of autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine, known as “trade visa-free”, which expires on June 6. About this reported spokesperson of the European Commission, Balaž Ujvari.
According to him, the adopted measures will enter into force on June 6, replacing the current preferential regime.
“Indeed, I recently received information that the corresponding implementing act has been passed in the appropriate committee, and therefore it will enter into force. We currently expect that to happen on June 6.”, – said Uyvari.
He reminded that in 2022, the European Union introduced autonomous trade measures (ATM) for Ukraine, which provided preferential access for Ukrainian exports to the EU market. Their action continued annually.
“Now we are not looking for an annual extension of these measures, we are looking for a long-term solution. That is why we are focusing on the FTA, the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement that has existed between the European Union and Ukraine since 2016. Negotiations are currently underway to revise, modernize and update it. This is our long-term focus. But as a responsible institution, we must also be ready for possible transitional measures that have recently been approved in the relevant committee”, – explained the spokesperson of the European Commission.
Currently, the European Commission does not plan to extend unilateral benefits for Ukrainian agricultural products, which were introduced after the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia and are in effect until June 5. After this date, trade between Ukraine and the EU will return to pre-war rules.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that after the expiration of the benefits, trade with Ukraine will take place in accordance with the previous conditions. The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine called this development a “worst-case scenario” and called for maintaining the current regime at least until changes are made to the Agreement on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between Ukraine and the EU.
However, as the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice Olga Stefanishyna admitted, negotiations with the EU regarding the revision of the DCFTA have not yet started.
We will remind that in May 2024, the Council of the EU approved the extension of the cancellation of customs duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports for another year, albeit with new restrictions to protect the internal market of the European Union. The European Commission has proposed introducing quotas for a number of products — eggs, poultry meat, sugar, oats, corn, cereals and honey — to protect the interests of European farmers.
