The EU reacts to Ukrainian grain. There will be a support package for Polish farmers

On Tuesday, Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis invited trade ministers of five countries, including Poland, to talks on Ukrainian grain. At the end of March, the Prime Ministers of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in which they demanded intervention in connection with the inflow of Ukrainian grain to the EU countries. It is also known that in Strasbourg the problem of Polish farmers and countries neighboring Ukraine was discussed in connection with the influx of grain from the eastern border.

The grain affair. There will be an EC support package for Poland and Ukraine’s neighboring countries

On Tuesday it was reported that the European Commission is preparing a support package for Poland and Ukraine’s neighboring countries in connection with the influx of grain. The correspondent of Polish Radio in Brussels, Beata Płomecka, unofficially established that on Monday it was agreed as part of consultations between the cabinets of the commissioners. The package includes, inter alia, financial support for farmers. Płomecka also announced that the second tranche of aid for farmers will be increased from EUR 75 million to EUR 100 million for five countries, of which Poland is to receive about EUR 30 million. In addition, the EC wants to accelerate the development of border infrastructure in order to clear solidarity corridors and eliminate the so-called bottlenecks. In mid-November, the Commission announced that it would provide €250 million as a matter of urgency, but so far the projects have not been implemented. As regards duty-free trade with Ukraine, the EC proposes faster triggering of security clauses in the event of disturbances on the EU market and, for example, the possibility of reintroducing customs duties.