New Delhi: The European Union’s executive warned on Sunday that unilateral trade action by EU member states is unacceptable, after Poland and Hungary declared bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to defend their domestic agricultural sectors, reported Reuters.
Due to logistical difficulties caused by Russia’s invasion of some Black Sea ports, substantial quantities of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union, ended up lingering in Central European states, lowering prices and sales for local farmers.
According to Reuters, the issue has created a political headache for Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party in an election year, as it has enraged people in rural areas where PiS support is often high.
“We are aware of Poland and Hungary’s announcements regarding the ban on imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine,” a European Commission representative said in an emailed statement, reported Reuters.
“In this context, it is important to underline that trade policy is of EU exclusive competence and, therefore, unilateral actions are not acceptable.”
Also Read: Polish government bans cheap grain, food imports from Ukraine
The statement added, “In such challenging times, it is crucial to coordinate and align all decisions within the EU.”
According to Piotr Muller, a spokesman for the Polish government, the administration is in frequent contact with the European Commission regarding the matter, and the ban is possible due to a security clause.
Poland and Hungary have had long-running disputes with Brussels over topics such as judicial independence, media freedoms, and LGBT rights, and both have had subsidies withheld owing to concerns about the rule of law.
Ukraine’s agriculture minister, Mykola Solsky, spoke with his Hungarian counterpart, Istvan Nagy, on Sunday and stressed that unilateral moves were unacceptable, according to a statement from the Ukrainian agricultural ministry. According to the report, the two promised to talk again shortly.
The ministry stated on Saturday that the Polish ban violated existing bilateral export agreements and asked for discussions to resolve the matter, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Agriculture Minister Yavor Gechev stated on Sunday that the country was mulling a ban on Ukrainian grain imports.
With inputs from agencies
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from 'Not acceptable': EU warns against unilateral steps after Poland, Hungary bans cheap grain, food imports from Ukraine
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