Romania Approves New Conditions for Import of Ukrainian Grain

The Romanian government has finally approved a compromise import permit system for certain groups of Ukrainian agricultural products to protect Romanian farmers.

The Romanian government approved a resolution on 12 October approving a compromise import scheme agreed with Ukraine.

Imports of wheat, maize, sunflower and soybeans will be allowed under permits issued by the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture: Romanian businesses will have to apply for a permit to import products, and the relevant commission in the ministry will grant a permit for a specific volume of products based on the submitted documents, following which quality control will be required.

"This mechanism has been agreed with both our farmers and the Ukrainian authorities," Romania's Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said.

In a series of questions and answers, he said the list of products covered by this licensing regime might be expanded.

The minister added that negotiations will be held with Moldova on a similar licensing mechanism for grain imports next week.

On 5 September, the temporary restriction on imports of Ukrainian grain at the EU level, which the European Commission had imposed in the spring under pressure from Ukraine's neighbours, expired.

Afterwards, Ukraine proposed an export control plan for four crop groups – wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed – to the European Commission and five countries so as to protect their domestic markets.