European Commission to represent EU member states in WTO grain dispute arbitration – Polish media

The European Commission reportedly decided on Tuesday 26 September that it will represent Poland, Hungary and Slovakia in the arbitration of the grain dispute at the World Trade Organisation.

Source: Polish news agency PAP, citing a "source within the EU", as reported by European Pravda 

Details: The WTO's consideration of Ukraine's complaint against the three EU states over their unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products should begin "soon".

Quote: "It was decided on Tuesday that the EU member states will be represented by the European Commission at the WTO arbitration. The EU delegation includes experts from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary," an EU source told PAP.

Unnamed European diplomats quoted by the agency said the opening of the WTO procedure "closes other channels of dialogue for Ukraine" in the dispute over the grain import embargo.

Polish Ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sadoś told PAP the situation will be discussed on Wednesday in Brussels at the level of permanent representatives at Poland’s initiative.

Instead of restricting imports to the EU, Ukraine proposed an export control plan for four groups of crops – wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed – to the European Commission and the five countries to protect their domestic markets.

Despite this, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian imports, prompting Ukraine to file a complaint to the WTO against these three countries.

Read also: Compromise Not in Kyiv's Interest: What's Behind European Commission's Decision on Ukrainian Grain

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