EU agrees initial food trade deal with Ukraine
BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) - The European Union and Ukraine have reached an initial deal on future agricultural exports to the bloc, European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic told reporters on Monday.
The EU temporarily waived duties and quotas on Ukrainian farm products in June 2022 in the wake of Russia's invasion to help the country compensate for the higher costs of its exports via the EU, after Russia threatened its traditional Black Sea shipping lanes.
However, these measures were halted at the start of this month after an influx of cheaper Ukrainian grain, poultry and sugar sparked protests in neighbouring countries, notably Poland.
The bloc returned to its pre-war trade agreement with Ukraine, with tariffs and quotas limiting agricultural trade.
The EU is Ukraine's largest trade partner and Ukraine is the third-largest supplier of agri-food products to the EU, according to EU data.
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