The EU has agreed with Ukraine a new agreement on imports of agricultural products / odds for the most sensitive products

The European Union announced on Monday that it has reached a “principle agreement” in terms of free exchange with Ukraine, in particular regarding the sensitive file of imports of agricultural products.

“This balance – balanced, fair and realistic – opens a new chapter in already dynamic commercial relations between the EU and Ukraine,” said the trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, who insisted on the quotas “sensitive products such as eggs, sugar and wheat,” reports France Presse and Agerpres.

The European Union temporarily suspended tariffs and quotas for agricultural products in Ukraine, after the Russian invasion that began in 2022, but this system expired on June 5, 2025.

At the same time, the European farmers complained about an “unfair competition” from Ukraine, a great agricultural producer, and asked to return to the quotas that were in force before the war, according to a 2016 agreement.

“Through this modernized agreement, we provide commercial flows from Ukraine to Europe and world markets … At the same time, we continue to protect the interests of our farmers,” said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine must be aligned with EU standards

The new access to the market is conditioned by the gradual alignment of Ukraine to the relevant production standards of the EU, such as animal welfare, the use of pesticides and veterinary drugs. It is expected that Ukraine will report every year on the progress made in this regard. This approach is in accordance with the logic of the Ukraine accession process in the EU and with the adoption of the EU ACQUIS.

Also, both sides will have the opportunity to activate a saving mechanism that allows adoption of appropriate measures in situations where imports can cause negative effects for any parties. In the case of the EU, the evaluation of a possible disturbance can be done at the level of one or more Member States.

The revised agreement ensures a balance between supporting Ukraine's trade with the EU and takes into account the sensibilities of certain agricultural sectors and interested parties in the EU. The negotiated access to the market varies: for the most sensitive products, such as sugar, yard, eggs, wheat, corn and honey, there are only modest increases compared to the deep and initially comprehensive exchange agreement; For other products, improvements have been made for the benefit of both parties, based on our complementary markets; And, finally, for certain non -sensitive products, it agreed on a total liberalization.

“This balance that we achieved creates a stable and predictable framework to continue our privileged commercial relationship, taking into account, at the same time, the concerns of our sensitive agri-food sectors. The agreement concluded is a very important step towards entering Ukraine on our single market and for equitable competition conditions for the EU farmers,” said the agriculture.