The European Union has ended the “trade visa-free regime” for Ukrainian agricultural products, which allowed for duty-free and quota-free exports. Starting June 6, 2025, the EU has reverted to the so-called “pre-war” regime of quotas and tariffs, which will remain in place while negotiations for a new multi-year trade agreement with Ukraine are ongoing.
This is reported by Бізнес • Медіа
Reasons for Ending Temporary Benefits
The temporary suspension of tariffs and quotas was introduced in June 2022 to help Ukraine offset the rising export costs caused by the blockade of traditional maritime routes in the Black Sea. However, the period of these benefits has ended, and the parties are now negotiating a new trade agreement, which is expected to be signed by the end of July 2025. Experts predict that the new document will be more favorable for Ukraine than the existing restrictions.
Impact of Political Factors
The delay in developing the new agreement is attributed to the political caution of the European Commission ahead of presidential elections in Poland and Romania. European officials were reluctant to disclose proposals that could provoke discontent among farmers in these countries, as they fear competition from cheap Ukrainian products.
“The EC has deliberately delayed work on the new agreement to avoid disclosing proposals that are expected to benefit Ukrainian producers before the presidential elections in Poland and Romania. There were concerns that potential farmer protests in both countries could affect the outcomes of the presidential elections.”
A significant portion of Polish farmers are concerned about price competition and the geographical proximity of Ukraine. Over the past year, Poland’s trade balance deficit with Ukraine in the agri-food sector has reached 600 million euros.