Farmers are among the many agri-food teams involved in regards to the impacts of a brand new commerce settlement with Ukraine on European Union (EU) poultry meat and eggs markets.
Earlier this week, the three most important establishments of the European Union (EU) reached settlement to increase the present commerce measures with Ukraine.
Nonetheless, the bloc’s farming cooperative group, COPA-COGECA has given a lukewarm response to the newest proposals.
Additionally representing the Affiliation of Poultry Processors and Poultry Commerce within the EU nations (AVEC), the European Union of Wholesale in Eggs, Egg Merchandise, Poultry and Sport (EU-WEP), and the commerce our bodies for the corn (maize) and sugar beet sectors, COPA-COGECA mentioned that the newest place doesn’t replicate the place taken at a latest plenary assembly of the European Parliament (EP).
Because the deadline approached for the tip of the present commerce take care of Ukraine, EU farming organizations have been calling for modifications that might convey them higher safety from imports of Ukrainian agri-food exports.
Following an EP plenary assembly in mid-March, some key modifications had been anticipated for the brand new settlement, which is because of start in June of this 12 months.
Nonetheless, COPA-COGECA studies that the one concession seem like an adjustment to the reference interval used for assessing market impacts. Moreover, it says, neither wheat nor barley have been included within the newest proposals — opposite to its expectations.
Whereas confirming its continued help for Ukraine and its agri-food producers within the face of Russian aggression, the physique says that volumes exported to the EU beneath the present Autonomous Commerce Measures (ATM) are substantial.
“This solidarity can’t relaxation solely on the shoulders of farmers,” mentioned the COPA-COGECA assertion, “and the instance of this ATM ought to collectively pressure us to raised anticipate additional measures to combine Ukraine.”
Extra safety promised for EU poultry, egg farmers
This week, the Parliament and Council reached settlement on commerce help for Ukraine that does supply extra safety for EU farmers, in response to an EP assertion.
Members of the EP (MEPs) and the Council presidency have agreed to increase for an additional 12 months the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU.
Nonetheless, measures to guard EU farmers might be bolstered, it says.
Moreover, there is an “emergency brake” in place for delicate merchandise, which embody poultry meat, eggs, sugar, oats and corn. Because of this tariffs on these merchandise might be re-imposed if the import volumes exceed these for the reference interval. This reference interval now begins in June of 2021 and ends in December of 2023.
The European Fee has additionally dedicated to monitoring grain imports, significantly these of wheat.
These proposals are actually topic to last settlement by the EP and the Council. As soon as agreed, the new rules will come into impact because the earlier measures expire on June 5, 2024.
Sharp rise in Ukrainian poultry exports to EU
Newest information from Eurostat present important will increase within the quantity of poultry exports to the EU in 2023 in contrast with the earlier 12 months.
For poultry meat, the year-on-year quantity was 42% increased than in 2022 at round 231,600 metric tons (mt). Ukraine was the second-largest exporter to the bloc final 12 months behind Brazil. Complete EU poultry meat imports in 2023 amounted to nearly 894,500mt — a year-on-year improve of 4.7%.
Final 12 months, egg imports by the EU had been 78% increased than in 2022 at simply beneath 90,000mt, based mostly on information from the identical supply. Already the most important exporter to the bloc on this product class, Ukraine’s quantity greater than doubled from the earlier 12 months to 54,700mt.
Evolution of EU-Ukraine commerce offers
Beneath the EU-Ukraine Affiliation Settlement, Ukrainian firms have benefited from preferential entry to the EU market since 2016.
After Russia launched its warfare of aggression in early 2022, the EU put in place autonomous commerce measures (ATMs) with Ukraine, which permit duty-free entry to the EU for all of the nation’s merchandise. The measures had been prolonged by one 12 months in 2023.
In January of this 12 months, the Fee proposed to resume the tariff suspension for an additional 12 months, however with safeguards to guard the EU market.
The European Council and Parliament reached an settlement on the regulation in March, however the member states opted to make amendments. This required new negotiations, which ended with the newest provisional deal.
