Poland finds new reason not to lift ban on Ukrainian agricultural imports

Poland's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has stated that it will not lift the indefinite ban on importing agricultural products from Ukraine – wheat, maize, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, flour, oil cake and bran – despite the entry into force of the updated trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine.

Poland's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that the new agreement does not take into account all the provisions proposed by Poland, "which were meant to minimise the potential negative impact of Ukrainian imports on Polish agriculture".

The new quotas and volumes resulting from the EU-Ukraine trade agreement apply to imports into the entire European Union, while Poland still maintains its indefinite ban on importing wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine, as well as certain products of their processing.

"In response to false information, the Ministry of Agriculture confirms that the new agreement does not alter the above provisions," the statement reads.

On 13 October, EU member states approved a package of arrangements for the next phase of market access liberalisation for a wide range of Ukrainian agri-food products.