EU to strengthen grain import checks from Ukraine amid farmer protests, EU Commissioner says
Illustrative photo (Photo: Getty Images)
The European Union intends to strengthen checks on compliance with agreements during the import of grain from Ukraine, according to a statement of EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean in an interview with Reuters.
"Closing borders is never a good idea, even less borders with a neighbour in such need of connectivity. As long as the agreements are implemented correctly, there shouldn't be problems, and we are working on strengthening implementation," the EU Commissioner said.
She emphasized that the EU needed to verify whether carriers were exceeding the agreements and had the right to transit.
According to her, EU countries also benefit. Road exports to Ukraine from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia have doubled and exceeded the volume of goods going from Ukraine to these countries.
"This 'shows there is a profitable exchange for border countries as well'," Valean added.
She specified that Ukraine had exported over 64 million tons of grain, oilseeds, and related goods through solidarity corridors since their creation in May 2022 until January.
The Commissioner added that in January alone, three million tons of grain transited through neighboring EU countries with Ukraine, of which approximately 2.04 million tons passed through Romania.
Border blockade with Poland
Polish farmers blocked the border with Ukraine several weeks ago. They impeded the movement of trucks through checkpoints, affecting exports.
This situation arose because farmers were dissatisfied with the transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland and feared that it might remain in the country.
