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15 WORLD maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 APRIL 2023 What's behind EU gripes over Ukrainian grain? AFTER Russia launched its full- scale invasion of Ukraine in Febru- ary 2022, the Black Sea route used by Ukraine to export foodstuffs was blocked off. With 20 billion tons of grain trapped in Ukraine and global food prices soaring, the European Union moved last May to set up "solidarity lanes" to get exports flowing out via member states. The EU also suspended tar- iffs on Ukrainian products. Soon after — and thanks to a Ukrainian-Russian deal allow- ing shipments — these transport routes got going. But farmers in Poland then began protesting that they were being flooded by Ukrainian grain imports and felt they were being undercut, even if the grain was supposed to be des- tined for sale outside the EU. In recent days and after months of discontent, Ukraine's western neighbours Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have all announced import re- strictions on Ukrainian grain. The European Commission has criti- cised the moves, but is now work- ing on a fresh round of funding to relieve farmers and come up with a common approach. In the past few days, Warsaw and Bucharest have indicated they would lift some of the restrictive measures. Why are import bans from EU countries a big deal? If bans on import that also halt transit stay put, they could po- tentially help drive up global food prices once again. Ukraine ac- counts for 10% of the world wheat market, 15% of the corn market and 13% of the barley market, according to the European Com- mission. Food prices shot up to record highs last year, causing huge con- cern about international food security. But they have since re- covered to pre-war levels, figures from the UN Food and Agricul- ture Organization index now show. In the meantime, the future of the Black Sea Grain Initiative — up and running since August — currently looks unclear. Russia has been indicating it might stop abiding by the export facilitation deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey and designed to keep food supplies flowing out of the region and feeding the world. On Sun- day, agriculture ministers from the seven wealthy industrial G7 countries called for its extension. What are EU officials doing about it? The European Commission was quick to warn that trade policy decisions are taken collectively within the EU free trade bloc. Uni- lateral country decisions about trade are not possible, spokes- person Miriam Garcia Ferrer said recently. Theoretically, the mem- ber states striking out on their own could be sanctioned if they were found to have broken EU rules, but the EU executive branch seems more interested in finding a solution. The European Commission is looking at pulling together another package of aid worth around €100 million ($110 mil- lion), a senior EU official said on condition of anonymity at a brief- ing. This comes after a €56 mil- lion package earlier this year, plus national relief plans financed in part by the relaxation of EU state aid rules. The current focus is finding a common EU measure that en- sures Ukrainian grain makes its way out of the country and then onward to the non-EU markets it is intended for, according to the senior EU source. One option could be a temporary ban on im- ports into Ukraine's EU neighbors on grain that isn't destined for sale outside the EU. This would still al- low imports for transit. What has Ukraine said about grain restrictions? Ukrainian Agriculture Minis- ter Mykola Solskyi has been in a flurry of meetings with neighbor- ing EU states over the past week, releasing statements that tend to focus on the progress in talks with each country. When Warsaw announced its restrictions earlier this month, Solskyi acknowledged in a press release that "that Polish farmers are in a difficult situation." "But we emphasize that Ukraini- an farmers are in the most difficult situation right now," he contin- ued. "Ukrainian farmers are suf- fering enormous losses from Rus- sia's war against Ukraine, and… Ukrainian farmers are dying on their fields because of Russian mines," he said. Is EU support for Ukraine at risk? It is worth noting that criticism from the governments of Poland and Hungary, for example, has focused on the alleged inadequa- cy of EU support for farmers so far, rather than Ukraine itself — Brussels rather than Kyiv, in other words. Warsaw, in particular, is con- sidered one of Ukraine's closest backers. Its ruling conservative, nationalist Law and Justice party is under election year pressure, and is counting on farmers to shore up its voter base. "We woke up the European Union!" Poland's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development posted on Facebook last week. The dispute does perhaps fore- shadow the challenges Ukraine and EU member states will face if Kyiv is to join the communi- ty of 27 member states with its open-border trade system. The bloc granted Ukraine EU candi- date status in 2022, but the pro- cess of joining the EU takes years — even for countries not ravaged by war. Ukraine's western neighbours Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have all announced import restrictions on Ukrainian grain CLASSIFIEDS INFO @MEDIATODAY.COM.MT HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION MARSALFORN, Gozo - holiday apartments for short or long lets with magnificent sea-views. Call 21556021, 27556021, 79426883 PROPERT Y TO LET SHOP TO LEASE - Class 4 B 60 sqm corner shop to lease in San Gwann. Key money €49,888 and €40 a day rental. Call on 79703404. XLENDI - catering premises in prime site to let. Can be used for other commercial purpos- es. 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