The agriculture ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic have appealed to the European Commission to ban grain imports from Russia and Belarus into the European Union.
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The appeal was initiated by Lithuania. It also states that the ban should apply to all member countries of the European Union.
The ministers of these five countries called on the European Commissioners to effectively implement restrictions so that possibly stolen Ukrainian grain is not sold on the European market.
Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kästučisa Navickosa said that European sanctions are not enough to prohibit Russia and Belarusians from trading Ukrainian grain that could have been stolen on Ukrainian territory.
The European Commission is expected to introduce a duty of 95 euros per tonne of grains from Russia and Belarus, as well as 50 percent duties on oilseeds and products derived from them, writes the Financial Times.
The EU is trying to reassure farmers and a number of blocs. As the Financial Times reported on March 19, citing sources familiar with the plans, the European Commission is expected to introduce a €95 per tonne duty on grain from Russia and Belarus in the coming days. According to the publication’s interlocutors, this could lead to an increase in prices by at least 50 percent, destroying demand. Also, 50 percent duties will be imposed on oilseeds and products derived from them.
The duty will be set at the maximum level allowed under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, sources said. Russia may retaliate, but it has already banned imports of most products from the EU, and many European companies in the sector have pulled out of the country in recent years.
The Financial Times also points out that EU imports from Russia of grains, oilseeds and derivatives reached a record four million tonnes in 2023, representing 1% of total consumption in the European Union.
In mid-February, Latvia banned the import of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus. Subsequently, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that he would initiate a ban on the import of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus at the European Union level, after which the Polish Sejm adopted a corresponding resolution calling on the European Commission.
Subsequently, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Tusk that she was “evaluating the possibility of introducing restrictions on the import of agricultural products from Russia,” the FT writes.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.