Poland evokes a rapprochement in the agricultural issue with Ukraine, before a meeting of the Ukrainian and Polish governments in Warsaw. The 27, divided regarding the restrictions to be imposed on Ukraine. France and Hungary against Germany

Warsaw announces “a certain rapprochement” of the positions with Kiev on the issue of food imports and transit, which is causing tension between the two countries, a day before a bilateral government meeting, reports AFP.

“We can say that there is a certain approximation of the positions, but of course (…) everyone fights for him”, declared AFP the Polish Minister of Agriculture Czeslaw Siekierski, who was going to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Mîkola Slolskî.

“Everything is still in front of us. The negotiations will certainly not end today,” he added.

A peasant deputy from the pro-European coalition in power in Poland, Krzysztof Paszyk, tells the Polish news agency PAP that the two countries are “on the verge of solving these problems”.

In his opinion, the meeting of the two governments – scheduled for Thursday – in Warsaw, regarding which no details were revealed, will address agriculture and trade. economy and military support of Ukraine.

Poland has been among Ukraine’s biggest supporters since the start of the Russian offensive in February 2022, but relations between the two neighbors have been affected by commercial disputes in recent months.

DISSENTION AMONG THE 27 ON THE TOPIC OF TAX RESTRICTIONS ON UKRAINE

The 27 are examining on Wednesday a project regarding a ceiling on certain agricultural imports from Ukraine – considered insufficient by some of the member states of the European Union (EU), including France, which wants an extension of these restrictions on wheat, a claim of some agricultural organizations.

This file was to be discussed during a meeting of the ambassadors of the EU member states.

“There is no agreement” on the inclusion of wheat, Belgian Agriculture Minister David Clarinval admitted on Tuesday, on the sidelines of a meeting with his EU counterparts.

“We are enough countries to form a blocking minority and demand the change” of the text, warned French Minister Marc Fesneau.

One reason for the anger of farmers in the EU is the fact that, starting from 2022, the Union grants Kiev an exemption from paying customs duties, in support of Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

European farmers accuse an influx of Ukrainian products of lowering prices and unfair competition, because they do not meet the same standards.

Negotiators of the EU member states and MEPs reached an agreement on March 20, with a view to reducing customs exemptions for a period of one year – starting from June -, but also on a ceiling on imports of poultry meat, eggs, sugar, corn and oats for the volumes imported in the period 2022-2023, on which taxes are to be reimposed.

This mechanism does not include wheat and barley, as requested by MEPs and agricultural organizations, but also several states, such as France and with Poland in the lead.

“We have a destabilization of the grain market”, because of the “Russian strategy to prevent Ukraine from entering the traditional markets” in Africa and the Middle East, argues Marc Fesneau.

“The maritime routes to the Black Sea are working again, and Ukrainian products are to return to their markets”, emphasizes his Hungarian counterpart Istvan Nagy.

“Without the inclusion of wheat, (the agreement) is unacceptable” in Budapest, he warns.

Paris also defends an extension to 2021 of the reference period of capping, emphasizing that the volumes of 2022-2023 correspond to massive imports.

KIEV DOES NOT HIDE ITS “DISAPPOINTMENT”

The agreement concluded last week is to be officially validated by the European Parliament (EP), in a vote in the April session, and by the EU member states with a qualified majority – 15 states representing 65% of the EU population .

Any amendment must be approved by both parties.

“Our positions are balanced. I hope we can reach a common ground”, estimates Marc Fesneau, who wants to avoid agricultural pressures that would erode the “support of public opinion” towards Ukraine.

Conversely, Berlin declares itself hostile to any revision of the agreement.

“A compromise was negotiated. It must be respected!”, declares German Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir irritated.

“Many do not understand that the defense of Ukraine, therefore our defense, of all, consists not only in the supply of ammunition, but also in not resuming the Russian propaganda, according to which the problematic decrease in the price of grain is due to Ukrainian supplies. There is no proof of this!” he thundered irritably.

Kiev does not hide its concern.

“We are disappointed. Ukraine covered a sugar deficit in the EU”, preventing prices from rising too much and “provides them with about 1% of total egg consumption, 2% of poultry meat consumption, which could easily be consumed by Ukrainian refugees”, he says. AFP Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mîkola Solskî.

The European restrictions will not at all influence the price of wheat “established in Chicago”, low due to the abundant Brazilian, Argentine and American harvests, he believes.

According to Brussels, a ceiling that would include, apart from the initial text, wheat and barley, and an extended reference period to 2021 would reduce Ukrainian exports to the EU by a total of approximately 1.2 billion euros compared to 2023.

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