Eucolait condemns the move taken by Poland, Hungary and Slovakia respectively to ban the import and/or transit of Ukrainian agrifood products, reportedly including dairy. The list of affected products in Poland has been published and includes milk and dairy, with both import and transit prohibited until 30 June 2023 – we await confirmation of other national lists.
In a strong sign of European unity and solidarity, the EU opened its market to Ukrainian products in June 2022, free from the confines of quotas or tariffs. This EU trade policy measure should not be circumvented by national actions. Unilaterally taken decisions by individual Member States only serve to fragment the Single Market and are particularly disappointing in this special context.
Solutions to potential disruptions created by the opening of the EU market to Ukrainian goods must be sought at the European level. When it comes to dairy, there is no disruption to speak of and any measure to restrict trade would lack economic justification. While imports from Ukraine, in particular of skimmed milk powder and butter, have increased quite significantly since the removal of tariffs, this is compared to a very low base. The volumes in question are not meaningful when compared to EU production and the size of the European market for these products.
We call on the European Commission to intervene to ensure that the integrity of the EU Single Market is maintained and to continue supporting Ukraine through the granted preferential treatment. Disjointed national action creates uncertainty and a climate of mistrust for all operators across the supply chain.
For further information, please contact:
Jukka Likitalo (Secretary General): jukka.likitalo@eucolait.eu
Alice O’Donovan (Legal & Policy Adviser): alice.odonovan@eucolait.eu