Agreement is reached to speed up transit of Ukrainian agricultural products through Poland: details

Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have agreed to move veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary control from the Ukrainian-Polish border to the Lithuanian port

This was agreed on the morning of October 3 during a regular online meeting between Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi and the Polish and Lithuanian ministers of agriculture, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy reports.

"Over the next two days, veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary control will be transferred from the Ukrainian-Polish border to the port of Klaipeda (Lithuania) for all agricultural cargoes going to this port. This will speed up transit through Poland," the statement reads.

The Ministers of Poland and Lithuania noted that their governments support such a control mechanism and consider it a constructive step.

Ban on grain imports: more details

On May 2, the European Commission adopted temporary safeguard measures against imports of certain agricultural products from Ukraine to 5 EU countries. Initially, the ban was to be in place until June 5. However, on May 12, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary called on the European Commission to extend the embargo on agricultural products from Ukraine until the end of the year.

On Friday, September 15, the European Commission decided not to extend the ban on Ukrainian grain exports to the EU: Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia announced that they would extend the embargo unilaterally.

Ukraine has filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization against the EU countries that maintain restrictions on grain imports. At the same time, Poland said it would not change its decision because it was trying to protect local farmers.

Ukraine announced that it may stop importing apples, onions, cabbage, and tomatoes from Poland.

On September 21, it was reported that Ukraine had proposed an agricultural export plan to Slovakia, and Bratislava called it acceptable.

On September 26, Ukraine sent a proposal to 5 EU countries to export agricultural products. Romania and Poland have already responded, with the latter calling the plan good.