5 EU states oppose new trade deal with Ukraine over agricultural concerns

ISTANBUL

Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria on Tuesday voiced opposition to a proposed revised trade agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, citing concerns over the potential destabilization of EU agricultural markets.

The issue was raised during a meeting of EU agriculture ministers on July 14, according to diplomatic sources cited by European Pravda.

The new trade arrangement is set to replace the visa-free trade regime with Ukraine that expired in early June and is based on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) established in 2016.

The revised deal follows the expiration of Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs), which had provided preferential access to EU markets for Ukrainian exporters since the start of the war.

“The five countries – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania – raised the issue of new trade conditions with Ukraine. They are convinced the proposed DCFTA amendments could destabilize European markets,” a diplomatic source said.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen confirmed that the revised trade deal was discussed at the Brussels meeting, at the request of a group of member states.

“We had an open discussion on the updated agreement with Ukraine,” Hansen said.

“I presented the facts related to the deal and underlined that it is in the best interest of our farmers," he added.

Hansen also noted that the review of the 2016 agreement had been due in 2021 but was postponed due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the commission concluding negotiations with Kyiv on June 30, the five concerned countries are continuing to push for changes to the proposed amendments.

Their main concern is the potential influx of cheaper Ukrainian agricultural products into the EU market, which they fear could harm domestic producers.