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European Commission bans Ukrainian grain export to five EU countries

The measures concern four agricultural products - wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed

© AP Photo/ Vadim Ghirda

BRUSSELS, May 2. /TASS/. The European Commission (EC) banned Ukrainian grain export to five Eastern European countries from May 2 to June 5, simultaneously allowing its transit and export to other EU member-states, EC said in its statement released on Tuesday.

"The European Commission has today adopted exceptional and temporary preventive measures on imports of a limited number of products from Ukraine," EC said. "The measures concern only four agricultural products - wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed - originating in Ukraine. They aim to alleviate logistical bottlenecks concerning these products in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The measures will enter into force on 2 May and will last until 5 June 2023," it noted.

"During this period, wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed originating in Ukraine can continue to be released for free circulation in all the Member States of the European Union other than the five frontline Member States: Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia," EC stated. "The products can continue to circulate in or transit via these five Member States by means of a common customs transit procedure or go to a country or territory outside the EU," it noted. The countries mentioned committed to cancel unilateral bans on agricultural produce imports from Ukraine, EC added.

In April 2023, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia unilaterally decided to ban imports of agricultural products from Ukraine due to overstocking of their markets, bringing local farmers on the brink of ruin.

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