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DRAFT OPINION (COM(2024)0050 – C90021/2024 – 2024/0028(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade-liberalisation measures supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part

AGRI-PA-759061

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development · Rapporteur: Juozas Olekas

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The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development proposes amendments to a proposed regulation on temporary trade-liberalisation measures for Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement. It adds a recital stating that safeguard measures should not become a barrier to future economic and market integration but should create balanced trade. It adds sugar and honey to the products covered by an automatic safeguard, alongside eggs and poultry, and to the definition of products covered by tariff-rate quotas. It adds a new paragraph requiring that the destination of consignments of products covered by Article 1(1) be determined before entry into the EU, with Ukrainian authorities providing documentation that consignments reached their destination.

Committee position. The committee proposes amendments to the Commission proposal, adding a recital on integration and balanced trade, extending the automatic safeguard and tariff-rate quota definitions to sugar and honey, and requiring destination checks and documentation for consignments.

Key points

  1. The committee calls on the Committee on International Trade, as committee responsible, to take its amendments into account.
  2. A new recital states that trade liberalisation measures signal further integration of Ukraine into the EU market and provide stability to Ukraine's export-reliant economy.
  3. The new recital states that safeguard measures limiting trade liberalisation should not become a barrier to future economic and market integration but should create balanced trade.
  4. Recital 11 is amended to add sugar and honey to the products in a particularly precarious market situation, alongside poultry and eggs.
  5. The automatic safeguard is extended to sugar and honey, activated if imported quantities exceed the arithmetic mean of 2022 and 2023 quantities.
  6. For 6 June to 31 December 2024, the Commission must act within 21 days if cumulative imports of eggs, poultry, sugar or honey since 1 January 2024 reach the 2022–2023 arithmetic mean.
  7. For 1 January to 5 June 2025, the Commission must reintroduce the suspended tariff-rate quota within 21 days if cumulative imports of eggs, poultry, sugar or honey since 1 January 2025 reach five twelfths of the 2022–2023 arithmetic mean.
  8. The terms eggs, poultry, sugar and honey refer to all products covered by the tariff-rate quotas in the Appendix to Annex I-A of the Association Agreement for eggs and albumins, poultry meat and poultry meat preparations, honey and sugars.
  9. The arithmetic mean is calculated by dividing the sum of import volumes in 2022 and 2023 by two.
  10. A new paragraph requires that the destination of all consignments of a product covered by Article 1(1) originating in Ukraine be determined prior to entry into the EU.
  11. Ukrainian authorities should provide the European Commission with documentation certifying that those consignments reached their destination.

Who is affected

  • Union agricultural producers of poultry, eggs, sugar and honey, who may be harmed if imports from Ukraine increase.
  • Ukrainian exporters of eggs, poultry, sugar and honey, whose consignments face destination and documentation requirements.
  • The Commission, which must act within 21 days and receive documentation from Ukrainian authorities.
  • Member states, whose market may be adversely affected and which may request an assessment.

Figures and deadlines

  • 6 June to 31 December 2024 — period for the first safeguard trigger.
  • 1 January 2024 — start date for cumulative import volumes in the first period.
  • 21 days — deadline for the Commission to act after the trigger.
  • 1 January to 5 June 2025 — period for the second safeguard trigger.
  • five twelfths — share of the 2022–2023 arithmetic mean triggering reintroduction of the tariff-rate quota.
  • 2022 and 2023 — years used to calculate the arithmetic mean of import volumes.