Poland demands that Ukraine withdraw its World Trade Organization complaint regarding grain export restrictions

Thursday, 5 October 2023, 22:45

Poland’s Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus has said that Poland does not understand the Ukrainian statement regarding the "suspension" of consideration of Ukraine’s complaint against restrictions on its agricultural exports in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Source: PAP, a Polish news agency, referring to Robert Telus

Details: Telus said that Poland was not sure what Ukraine’s decision meant.

"We demand that the complaint be withdrawn because it is groundless and absurd. How can the Ukrainian government complain to the Polish government that the Polish government is helping a Polish farmer. This is truly absurd," Telus said.

He added that Ukraine withdrawing its complaint from the WTO is a prerequisite for improving Ukrainian-Polish relations.

Background:

Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative, said on 5 October that Ukraine had put its complaints against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on hold in an attempt to find a compromise solution.
With regard to the situation with Poland, Kachka said he hoped that the parties would be able to return to the discussions after the elections, as there are no systemic obstacles to solving the problem.
Following the end of temporary restrictions on the import of certain types of agricultural products at the EU level, Ukraine proposed an export control plan for four groups of crops – wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed – to the European Commission and Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania to protect their domestic markets.
Despite this, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian imports, prompting Ukraine to begin challenging their actions at the World Trade Organisation.

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