As part of the autonomous trade measures (ATM), which are in force this time from June 6, 2024, the so-called limits for selected products such as sugar, poultry, eggs, corn, oats, honey and groats. They are calculated on the basis of the average of exports from Ukraine to the EU from the two years 2022 and 2023 and mid-2021. These limits, which are not entirely considered as such, because they exceed the significant volume of imports of these products from before the war, are intended to limit imports. Is this happening? The question is whether these limits will be introduced immediately after exceeding them, because such doubts existed in the case of, for example, sugar. Meanwhile, Jacek Zarzecki, representative of, among others, Copa Cogeca writes on the X portal that "the activation of protective mechanisms (ATM), i.e. the return of customs duties, did not stop the import of eggs from Ukraine, which is growing. This shows low production costs and the EU's inability to control production conditions. Groats and honey from Ukraine should now be subject to customs duties." Does the Ukrainian media confirm this?
read more
EC: From July 2, quotas for sugar and eggs from Ukraine
Are ATMs real limits?
According to the Ukrainian website Latifindist, export limits for further export products from Ukraine to the EU under ATM are actually ending. – According to forecasts, Ukraine will run out of quotas for seven types of products covered by autonomous trade measures (ATM) in the fall, said Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Kachka in an interview with Ukrinform. As he added, corn is in the best situation in this case.
– When it comes to corn, the prospects here are really good. Firstly, the EU tariff on imports of this crop is still zero. Therefore, even the occurrence of the "threshold" provided for in autonomous measures will not cause any harm to Ukraine, we will continue duty-free trade. However, I think that in reality we will be close to reaching the threshold indicators, but we will not exceed them – said Kaczka, quoted by the website.
We would like to remind you that we wrote earlier about the introduction of corn to the ATM, because, as Copa Cogeca emphasized, including it in this system is mere window dressing. Although the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement sets a tariff quota for maize, there is no tariff attached to it, which means that nothing will happen if the automatic safeguard is triggered for maize.
read more
Facts and myths about the success of negotiations on changes in duty-free trade with Ukraine
The fight for the export of Ukrainian poultry
Interestingly, the deputy minister also said very interesting information, quoted by Latifundist. Namely, Ukraine has introduced licenses for poultry meat to avoid an intense "battle" between its producers. Why? Because, in his opinion, the number of Ukrainian exporters of this type of products to the EU is growing.
– If previously we were talking about one system exporter, now there are about ten of them. So we hope that even though the quotas are exhausted, we will not introduce customs trade, added Kaczka, quoted by the Ukrainian Latifundist.
Quotas for products from Ukraine
We would like to remind you that from July 2, 2024, tariff quotas from the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) were introduced for the import of eggs and sugar from Ukraine to the EU. This average is 23,188.96 tons for eggs and 262,652.68 tons for sugar. However, even though it was said that they had been exceeded at the beginning of June, there was a dispute in the Commission regarding the imposition of customs duties.
A marginal product, oats, has already exhausted the limits and from June 19, 2024, it is imported to the EU under a tariff quota. The limit for oats was 2,440.56 tons.
Interestingly, Latifundist also reports that the Ukrainian government has set a quota for the export of poultry meat to the European Union. The amount for 2024 is PLN 132.3 thousand. tons, including turkey meat and offal at the level of 3.7 thousand tone. According to the data provided to us by the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, the remaining limits were set for poultry meat – 137,000. tons, corn, flour and granules – 11,156.9 thousand tons, groats and barley flour, cereal grains subjected to other processing – 26 thousand tons and honey – 44.6 thousand tone.
read more
Poultry is another factor in limiting imports from Ukraine. Limits running out
