Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary have banned cheap Ukrainian agricultural imports to protect their farmers
The European Commission could take legal action against member states refusing to comply with the bloc’s trade deal with Kiev, Politico reported on Friday.
Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary have retained unilateral import bans on Ukrainian agriculture, insisting the restrictions are necessary to prevent cheap food imports from undercutting local producers.
The Commission says the restrictions may breach the EU’s single market rules that prohibit national trade barriers. Commission Deputy Spokesperson Olof Gill told Politico that Brussels sees “no justification for maintaining these national measures” and would intensify contact with the three governments. Asked whether legal proceedings had been ruled out, he said “all options are on the table.”
The EU-Ukraine pact, known as the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), came into force this week, granting Kiev preferential access to most EU markets while limiting certain agricultural exports through quotas. It replaces temporary measures introduced after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, which allowed Ukrainian grain to flood neighboring markets.
The influx sparked farmer protests across Eastern Europe last year. Producers have argued they cannot compete with tariff-free goods that are exempt from the strict regulations EU farmers must follow, and say that Brussels’ policies are putting their livelihoods at risk.
Poland’s Ministry of Agriculture said it would not alter its regulations because the DCFTA does not fully reflect Warsaw’s proposals to limit the impact of Ukrainian imports on domestic farming. The ministry stated that while the agreement includes several mechanisms to strengthen protection for EU agricultural markets, they are not sufficient to justify lifting the ban.
Hungary has taken a similar position, with Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy confirming that Budapest will maintain its restrictions and accusing Brussels of “prioritizing Ukrainian interests.” Slovak Agriculture Minister Richard Takac likewise argued that the new deal’s safeguards are “not strong enough” to protect local producers, indicating Bratislava intends to follow suit.
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