As of June 6, the European Union has reinstated the trade rules in relations with Ukraine that existed before 2022. This means the end of the “trade visa-free regime” and the return of customs quotas for a number of Ukrainian goods. The new restrictions will be in effect until the end of 2025, with quota volumes set at 7/12 of the annual limits.
This is reported by Business • Media
Restrictions on Ukrainian Agricultural Exports: Which Products Are Subject to Quotas
In particular, export quotas to the EU have been established for key types of agricultural products. For wheat, the limit will be 583,333 tons, for corn — 379,167 tons, for sugar — 20,000 tons, and for poultry meat — 52,511 tons. Overall, the restrictions apply to 40 categories of agricultural products.
The Ministry of Economy emphasized that the free trade regime between Ukraine and the EU remains in place, and the quotas pertain to 40 categories of agricultural products. It is noted that the lack of concessions from the EU regarding the review of quotas affects trade worth $3.5 billion and could reduce revenue by $800 million, but this is the worst-case scenario.
Negotiations on a New Trade Agreement
The European Union has already begun consultations with Ukraine regarding updated trade rules. It is expected that the new agreement will establish import quotas on agricultural products at a level that will be a compromise between previous restrictions and the temporary relaxations that were in place after the onset of Russia’s full-scale aggression in 2022. The European Commission plans to finalize a new agreement in the near future.
Agrarian Policy Minister Vitaliy Koval expressed confidence that agreements with the EU could be reached by the end of July. According to Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Kachka, special attention during the negotiations is being paid to products such as sugar, poultry meat, honey, eggs, and juices. Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky believes that the established quotas will only be sufficient for two to three months of exports, so during this time it is necessary to find a new acceptable solution to avoid halting trade in certain categories of goods between Ukraine and the EU.