Ukraine pauses WTO grain export lawsuits against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia
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Ukraine has put on hold its
complaint against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia at the World Trade
Organization (WTO) as the grain disputes with the neighboring countries are
expected to be resolved in the coming weeks, Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister
and Trade Representative at the EU, Taras Kachka, said on Oct. 5.
He noted that a new export mechanism had been proposed which has seen Kyiv seeking a constructive solution within the framework of the entire EU.
Kachka explained that Ukraine lodged the complaint with the WTO and has 60 days to consult. So, currently, Kyiv is not in dispute, but in the consultation stage.
According to him, Kyiv had already taken care of the customs formalities for goods transiting through five neighboring countries. None of them prohibits transit. What remains is to regulate the final piece—the opening of the neighboring markets for Ukrainian agricultural goods.
"It's a minor problem, because we do not sell much grain produce there; it’s mainly a question of the functioning of trade between Ukraine and the EU," added Kachka.
On Sept. 18, Ukraine filed lawsuits against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia at the WTO, after the three countries unilaterally extended a ban on the import of Ukrainian grains despite the European Commission's decision to drop the restictions.
On Sept. 26, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal signed a resolution on a new agricultural export mechanism, which was supported by the European Commission.
On Sept. 27, Poland's Minister of Agriculture, Robert Telus, called on Ukraine to withdraw the complaint at the WTO.
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