EU reinstates tariffs on Ukrainian eggs and sugar

The European Union has introduced protective tariffs on eggs and sugar from Ukraine starting 2 July due to excessive import volumes.

According to the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission, reportedly, this occurred despite the Ukrainian government's assertion that the EU had no such plans in the near future. 

In the spring, the EU established a safeguard mechanism to restrict free trade with Ukraine. In June, it was first applied to Ukrainian oats. Two more products have now been made subject to it.

The new safeguard mechanism stipulates that the so-called "emergency brake" for seven agricultural products is automatically triggered if import volumes reach the average annual import volume recorded from 1 July 2021, to 31 December 2023. 

For eggs and sugar, this average is 23,188.96 tonnes and 262,652.68 tonnes, respectively. 

Since imports of eggs and sugar from Ukraine have already exceeded the volumes set by the tariff quota from the beginning of the year, additional imports will be subject to duties.