Jap EU States Name on Bloc to Amend, Prolong Ukrainian Meals Import Ban – PAP

WARSAW (Reuters) – The agriculture ministers of 5 states within the east of the European Union referred to as on the bloc to change and prolong rules limiting the import of Ukrainian agricultural merchandise, Polish information company PAP reported, citing sources.

The EU on Could 2 set restrictions till June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the surplus provide of those grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Based on a letter signed by the ministers of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia the ban doesn’t apply to items imported beneath contracts concluded earlier than Could 2, making a threat that undated contracts may very well be cleared by customs, PAP reported.

As outcome, there is a threat of abuses whereas customs authorities won’t have instruments to confirm and query such paperwork, the ministers wrote, in keeping with PAP.

The ministers additionally referred to as for the import restrictions to be prolonged till the top of the 12 months.

The restrictions this 12 months got here after the EU final 12 months liberalized all imports from Ukraine to assist the nation because it fended off Russia’s invasion. The 5 nations turned transit routes for Ukrainian grain that would not be exported by the nation’s Black Sea ports as a result of the struggle.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Marek Strzelecki; Modifying by Frances Kerry)

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