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Ukraine, EU extend "economic visa-free regime" for year, unblock transit of goods - Shmyhal

The blocking of transit of more than 500 items of Ukrainian agricultural goods has been lifted.

Ukraine, EU extend "economic visa-free regime" for year, unblock transit of goods - Shmyhal
Denys Shmyhal
Photo: Cabinet of Ministers

Ukraine and the European Union have agreed to extend the "economic visa-free regime" for another year., Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced.

According to him, Ukrainian businesses will be able to continue selling their goods to the EU without any quotas, duties or tariffs.

In addition, it was possible to restore access of Ukrainian agricultural products to the European market.

"Together with the European Commission, we managed to agree to stop blocking the transit of more than 500 items of Ukrainian agricultural goods. The work of the Solidarity Corridors will continue. All other unilateral bans imposed by five neighbouring countries have been lifted," the prime minister said.

Shmyhal added that a compromise mechanism has been built at the European Commission level, which provides for restrictions on the export of four items of Ukrainian agricultural products to neighbouring countries. "But this is a temporary restriction that is valid until 5 June," he said.

Poland recently banned imports of agricultural products from Ukraine. It was followed by Hungary. Slovakia also banned grain exports.

Subsequently, the ministers of agriculture of Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary wrote a letter to the European Commission with a proposal to expand the list of products from Ukraine that are banned from import.

Subsequently, the EC reached an agreement with these countries to import Ukrainian agri-food products. And the ambassadors of the EU member states supported the continuation of trade liberalisation with Ukraine.

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