EU Extends Duty-Free Trade with Ukraine for One Year

The Council of the EU has adopted a regulation that renews the suspension of all customs duties, quotas and trade defence measures on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, until June 2024.

"By renewing these measures the EU is continuing to demonstrate its unwavering political and economic support for Ukraine, which is still facing Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression," the EU Council stated.

These measures will help Ukraine maintain the stability of trade relations with the EU and support the economy in very difficult conditions.

Coupled with extensive military, financial and humanitarian support, this is crucial to help Ukraine in its long-term recovery.

"Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has had a devastating impact on the country's economy. The renewed Autonomous Trade Measures will unequivocally support Ukraine and at the same time they provide the EU with a way of protecting if necessary the internal market from significant increase in imports of some agricultural products," said Johan Forssell, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade which presides over the EU Council.

The regulation adopted today concerns fruits and vegetables subject to the entry-price system, as well as agricultural products and processed agricultural products subject to tariff-rate quotas. All outstanding customs duties under Title IV of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine establishing a deep and comprehensive free trade area.

Now that the Regulation has been adopted, it will be signed by the representatives of the Council and the European Parliament and published in the Official Journal, before entering into force on 6 June.

On May 9, the European Parliament voted to extend duty-free trade with Ukraine for another year in order to support the Ukrainian economy in times of war.

On May 2, the European Commission adopted exceptional and temporary preventive measures on imports of a limited number of products from Ukraine following pressure from five European Union member states, which blamed Ukrainian imports for the collapse of local prices.