Recently, there has been a surge of farmer protests mainly centering around the issue of competition with Ukrainian grain growers. This issue has escalated to such an extent that it has prompted the European Union member states to hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the matter in detail. Following the discussion, the member states have approved the renewal of the exemption from customs duties for Ukrainian agricultural imports starting from June. However, they have also decided to reinforce “safeguard mechanisms” to limit the possible impact of this decision.
The proposal put forth by Brussels, which was subsequently validated by the ambassadors of the Twenty-Seven, states that there will be rapid “corrective measures” to be taken in the event of “significant disruptions” in the market. Additionally, for three specific products, namely poultry, eggs, and sugar, there will be an “emergency brake” in place. This brake will stabilize imports at the average volumes imported in the years 2022-2023, and if the volumes go beyond this average, customs duties will be reimposed. The decision now lies in the hands of the Members of the European Parliament.
The root of these protests lies in the perceived “unfair competition” that cereal farmers in various European countries feel is being exerted by their Ukrainian counterparts. It is believed that the Ukrainian farmers have been granted certain advantages in the wake of the Russian invasion, which has led to an imbalance in the competition.
This issue has led to several protests. For instance, since February 9, Polish farmers have been blocking various border crossing points between Ukraine and Poland. They have also repeatedly dumped Ukrainian wheat stored in trucks or wagons on the ground in protest. In a more extreme demonstration, a pro-Putin banner was even displayed in southern Poland, indicating the high levels of discontent among the farmers.
