Five states have asked Brussels to extend the current ban on imports of Ukrainian grain

Five European Union member states bordering Ukraine have asked Brussels to extend the current ban on imports of four Ukrainian grains. The current ban is set to expire on September 15.

By proposing to extend the ban on imports of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower oil until the end of 2023, this group of EU member states, consisting of Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania, expressed their position on the customs regulation of grain products.

EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski emphasized that "new circumstances" will be considered when considering the extension of the ban, in particular, taking into account Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Agreement.

The conflict over the disruption of the grain deal arose in the spring of 2023, when Polish farmers protested against Ukrainian grain imports, claiming that this led to a drop in grain prices. As a result of lengthy negotiations, where Poland and other EU member states acted independently, the EU import ban on some Ukrainian food products was suspended.

The European Commission initially criticized the unilateral actions of the countries, but later decided to impose the ban at the EU level.

Poland and Slovakia have already expressed support for extending the ban on Ukrainian grain imports until the end of the year. For its part, Ukraine has responded that it is categorically opposed to the EU extending the ban on agricultural products to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania after September 15, and that such a move could provoke reciprocal measures.