Macron backs restrictions on £1bn Ukrainian imports to EU
FRANCE has backed a proposal to impose restrictions on duty-free imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods to the EU – which are worth more than one billion euros a year.
Paris swung behind Poland before crunch negotiations to roll over the duty-free trade regime brought in to help the Ukrainian economy after Putin’s illegal invasion.
It supported calls for limits on Ukrainian poultry, eggs, sugar and wheat, which Polish farmers argue is undercutting them in their domestic market.
Emmanuel Macron’s move at last night’s meeting of ambassadors in Brussels has put him at odds with allies including Germany, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.
The French president promised local farmers he would protect them from imports after tractors besieged Paris earlier this year.
“The most cynical thing about this is the two member states leading the charge on this, Poland and France, are the two that are the most vocal in saying we must do everything to help Ukraine,” an EU diplomat told The Telegraph.
“Macron is ready to send troops but he is not ready to set up tractors,” they added, referring to his recent suggestion that the West had not ruled out boots on the ground in Ukraine.
The diplomat said France had performed a volte-face after Mr Macron met Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, in Berlin on Friday.
It had put France on the same side as Hungary and Slovakia, which are led by Putin-friendly governments, before negotiations began yesterday with MEPS to try to strike a deal.
Sources said a key issue was the length of time used to measure whether Ukrainian imports were distorting a market in a member state.
The European Parliament wants a longer period, dating to before the invasion. That became clear after member states backed last year’s European Commission’s proposal to continue dutyfree trade for another year from June.
The parliament’s demand complicated what was expected to be a simple passing of the duty-free regime, giving Warsaw time to win French support for its call for further restrictions.
Polish farmers have been protesting against cheaper agricultural imports from Ukraine. Tractors have blockaded the border in a dispute that has strained usually warm relations between Warsaw and Kyiv.
Brussels had until now resisted pressure to hit agricultural products because they feared the move could disrupt global food markets and hurt developing countries.