The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and its impact on European agriculture
13.10.2021
Question for written answer E-004639/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Gabriel Mato (PPE)
Under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, one of the parties may request the review of tariff concessions five years after its entry into force.
Ukraine has already asked for export quotas and tariffs on several agricultural products to be updated with a view to boosting exports to the EU, something that poses a serious threat to EU products such as honey, chicken meat and processed tomatoes. Ukraine is the largest supplier of processed tomatoes to the EU, and exported 40 757 tonnes in 2018 saw, three times the authorised quota volume (the tariff-free quota is 13 000 tonnes). This is a key sector in certain European regions, where it supports the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and cooperatives provide thousands of jobs.
Ukraine has enormous agricultural potential and could easily double its output, thus further depressing the economy and eating into the social fabric of many rural farming areas.
- 1.Will the Commission undertake negotiations to update not only the agreement’s tariffs and quotas but also to insert provisions requiring compliance with environmental and labour sustainability standards that EU producers already meet?
- 2.Does the Commission intend to carry out an impact assessment of possible concessions to Ukraine before the final agreement is sealed?