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representing European farmers are concerned about the implications of these measures for Europe. They propose to use not only the sea but also land and river corridors to send Ukrainian grain to other countries and, at the same time, to introduce stricter phytosanitary control at the border. In addition, it is proposed to introduce mechanisms that would help determine the destination of Ukrainian products and ensure that they get there. As well, they propose introducing thresholds for importing these products based on 2021-2022 levels so that everything that exceeds these norms can pass through the EU only before being exported to third countries. The agriculture ministers of Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary sent a letter to the EC requesting an import duty on Ukrainian grain.
Brussels will offer to continue preferential trade for Ukraine, but Poland is against it. Today, January 16, the European Commission will propose the extension of the suspension of tariffs and quotas on the import of Ukrainian products until June 2025, writes the FT. At the same time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk maintained the protectionist position of the previous government and intends to oppose it. However, Poland's position will not affect the result, as the majority makes the decision. However, the EC is considering a stricter safeguard clause that will allow exports to be quickly stopped if they flood the market in some member states. For his part, the head of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, believes that Ukraine and Poland should start a dialogue on how to solve bilateral problems with the EU to prevent crises. After all, the deeper Ukraine’s immersion in accession negotiations, the more such questions will arise from different sides. “We should already start thinking about the Ukrainian-Polish alliance within the EU. Because we will be two influential players,” he said.
Romanian farmers resumed the obstruction of trucks at the Ukrainian-Romanian Siret-Porubn e checkpoint on January 15 and also began blocking the Vikovu de Sous–Krasnoilsk crossing. Farmers are protesting due to increases in auto insurance and fuel prices. The Romanian government emphasizes that any farmers' claims to Ukrainian grain have no basis.
14 export credit agencies provide guarantees to businesses for investment in Ukraine, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Ukraine, together with MIGA (The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) and the DFC (The US International Development Finance Corporation), are implementing an investment insurance mechanism. In addition, Ukraine has launched a project to insure ships against war risks together with leading British insurers. These efforts, combined with the Ukrainian maritime trade corridor's operation under the protection of the Armed Forces, have positively influenced the growth of Ukraine’s naval exports by 30% in December 2023 compared to November 2023. "Since 2023, the Ukrainian maritime trade corridor has been functioning almost without interruption. In five months, 15 million tons of export goods, mostly food, have passed through this corridor. The Danube port cluster is also working successfully," Shmyhal said.
The export of Ukrainian goods through Romania has increased by 50%, and Poland risks losing its status as Ukraine’s largest transit point. President Zelenskyy, during a telephone conversation with the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, said that the export of Ukrainian products through Romania has already increased from two million tons to more than three million tons per month. The parties discussed the possibility of further expansion of capacity at border crossing points to enable this figure to reach the target of four million tons. The vice-president of the Association of International Road Carriers of Ukraine, Volodymyr Balin, believes that "We should be ready for the fact that Poland will no longer be the largest transit point for us to other EU countries." He noted that Ukrainian cargo carriers actively use alternative routes across the border with other countries of the EU.
47 UKRAINE Country Report February 2024 www.intellinews.com