The European Commission considers it appropriate to increase the trade of agricultural products between Ukraine and the EU, doing so in both directions to ensure benefits for both Ukrainian and European producers.
This was said by the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, during a joint briefing with Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka and Denmark’s Minister of Agriculture Jacob Jensen in Luxembourg on the sidelines of the EU Council meeting on agricultural affairs.
“It is very important that we show we stand united with Ukraine in its fight for freedom, in its fight for independence from Russia,” the Commissioner said.
He noted that this solidarity is accompanied by a modernization of the trade agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which includes increases to many tariff quotas.
“It is very important to find a balance between granting greater access and economic advantages to Ukrainian producers, and supporting solidarity with our farming community,” the Commissioner said.
He also stressed the importance of boosting trade in both directions:
“Not only imports from Ukraine into the EU, but also EU exports to Ukraine. Here we also have liberalization of many tariff lines that will bring direct benefits to our farming community.”
Separately, Christophe Hansen emphasized the need, in the context of the EU’s 19th sanctions package, to hurt Russia’s war economy “wherever feasible for us.”
