Ukraine's grain complaint with WTO against Poland still pending
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Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita says Kiev's complaint with the World Trade Organization over Poland's ban is still open, and the dispute remains unresolved.
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A farmer loads grain into a truck near the frontline in Sumy region, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Hanna Arhirova)
Kiev has not yet withdrawn its claims with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Poland's ban on Ukrainian grain imports to the country, Polish media reported.
On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed extending tariff-free entry for Ukrainian agricultural products for another year starting in June, but with a number of measures to protect Europe's own farmers.
The WTO case is still open, and the dispute remains unresolved, despite the European Commission's recent move, Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported on Thursday.
Poland, for its part, has not lifted the ban it imposed on Ukrainian grain imports in September 2023, but has not yet felt any consequences, despite having violated one of the basic principles of the European Union's trade policy, according to the report.
Polish-Ukrainian relations deteriorated significantly last year due to the influx of Ukrainian grain into the EU. Poland, alongside Slovakia and Hungary, unilaterally extended a ban on duty-free Ukrainian grain imports after EU-imposed curbs lapsed on September 15.
Ukraine responded by filing a complaint with the WTO. Ukrainian Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka said in late September that Kiev would withdraw its claims with the WTO against the three EU countries if they provide guarantees of no restrictions on grain exports in the future.
Last month, Polish farmers blocked the Medyka major border crossing into Ukraine, before reopening it a couple of days later, to protest what they perceive as "unfair competition" from Ukrainian counterparts and to oppose the easing of access regulations to the European Union for Ukrainian companies.
In December 2023, Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak warned that Ukraine's entry into the European Union could subvert food security in the bloc, laying off European farmers and causing an agricultural ordeal, after a decision was taken to establish negotiations concerning Ukraine's admission into the union.
Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy also announced that EU member nations sharing borders with Ukraine have submitted a letter to the European Commission, urging the implementation of customs duties on certain "sensitive" Ukrainian agricultural products to safeguard the European market.
