Official Kyiv protested to Poland and the European Union due to the introduction of restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products as contrary to the Association Agreement.
This was announced by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko.
Nikolenko said that the notes of protest were handed over to the Embassy of Poland, as well as the EU representation in Ukraine, and emphasized to them that the situation is categorically unacceptable.
"Such restrictions, no matter how justified they are, do not correspond to the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and the principles and norms of the EU Single Market.
There are all legal grounds for the immediate resumption of exports of Ukrainian agricultural goods to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, as well as the continuation of unhindered exports to other EU member states and generally unhindered transit of all Ukrainian products to other countries both within and across outside the EU," said Oleg Nikolenko.
He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the partners to seek a balanced solution "on the basis of EU legislation, the Association Agreement and on the basis of solidarity."
"This is the only way to successfully oppose Russia's full-scale aggressive war against Ukraine and to strengthen the single EU market, which Ukraine will become a member of, right now," the spokesman said.
It will be recalled that on Friday the European Commission reached an agreement in principle with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia regarding Ukrainian agro-food products, the import of which these countries limited.
"Exceptional protective measures", i.e. a ban on imports, were agreed upon for 4 types of products: wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds. The list does not include sunflower oil.
At the same time, safeguard investigations will be conducted on some other products, including oil.
The EU will also allocate a support package in the amount of 100 million euros for affected farmers in 5 member states.
In exchange for this, the five EU countries will cancel unilateral measures banning the import of Ukrainian products.
The current measures, which introduce duty-free trade with Ukraine, expire on June 5, so the new measures should enter into force a day later. On April 28, EU ambassadors voted for the relevant regulation.
