Kyiv convinces Brussels raising agri export quotas for Ukraine possible – minister

Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine Taras Kutovyi on the results of the annual Ukraine-EU agricultural dialogue held June 22-23 in Brussels told reporters the Ukrainian side had managed to convince the EU that the quotas for agricultural products supplied to the EU market were not constant numbers and could be revised upwards, an UNIAN correspondent reported.
”I can clearly say that yesterday and before our today`s morning meeting, we heard a clear answer that this issue was not to even be discussed. Today, two days later, as a result of intense discussions, it is already being discussed, and I think we were understood. I would not want our European partners to perceive specifications spelled out in the [Association] Agreement as frozen positions that can`t be changed. This is one of the results I wanted to achieve, and we did it. European partners here in Brussels don`t believe anymore that this is an unchanged position, and they take our position into consideration,” said the minister.
At this, Kutovyi noted that the issue of quotas was not the purpose of the meetings, but he initiated it. ”If at the beginning, our arguments remained unheard, at the end of our discussions at the meeting with Commissioner Hogan [Phil Hogan – EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development] were not just heard – they were understood. I will be very cautious in my statements, but the ice was broken, and I think that the issue of changes in the established quotas is becoming more real,” he said.
According to his forecasts, specific results can be expected in the next three months.
Answering the question of an UNIAN correspondent, what exported products were considered with regards to raising the quotas, Kutovyi said the discussions had touched upon all Ukrainian products with the export potential. The minister pointed out that the dialogue on this issue will be continued at the level of the ministry and the Directorate General of the European Commission for Agriculture and Trade within the framework of working groups. ”It will be a tense, perhaps daily process. Then, I hope, we will come to a compromise,” the minister said.
Speaking about the agrarian dialogue in general, Kutovyi said that the main purpose of the event was to establish links between the associations, ”a deeper dialogue between all the directorates-general in Brussels with the ministry.”
”This dialogue will continue – they already have the contacts, they know each other. We also discussed all the complex issues related to the activities of the State Service for Food Safety, since we are talking about our goods penetrating the European market. We held quite a successful working session in the format of officials to make sure that the reform of the food safety and general reform in the sector, including institutional reform of the ministry, see quite good dynamics,” Kutovyi said.
The Minister also said that the main task was to confirm the position that Ukraine is a reliable and promising partner. ”For members of the EU agricultural sector, the Ukrainian farmers are major competitors, and here we need a balanced policy in the context of how we can get additional preferences from the EU and at the same time be regarded as a potential and very attractive partner. It is necessary to convince, not just declare our needs and wishes,” said the agrarian minister.
As UNIAN reported earlier, as of early June, Ukrainian exporters have already exhausted 85% of the quotas for duty-free supply of food to the European Union. In particular, the quotas for maize were used in full as early as in January, the quotas for wheat are wearing out, but quotas for pork and barley remain unused.
Quotas for export of agricultural products to the European Union provided for by the Association Agreement, have a tariff nature, stipulating only the volume of goods that can be delivered duty free.
In 2015, Ukraine exported some products exceeding the quotas. For example, it was honey (in the past year Ukraine exceeded a tariff quota for this product by four times), juice (tariff quota exceeded by seven times), and maize (tariff quota exceeded by almost 20 times).

Avatar photo

UaPositon

An independent media focused on Ukraine.
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Share This

Share this post with your friends!