Ukraine will introduce an embargo on onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and apples from Poland, Polish news outlet Rzeczpospolita reported on Sept. 19.
Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative Taras Kachka reportedly told Rzeczpospolita that Ukraine has decided to ban the importation of Polish fruits and vegatables. According to Kachka, the decision was made in order to convince Poland to “take a step back and agree to the grain trade licensing mechanism developed in cooperation with the EU, for which Ukraine will be responsible.”
Following five months of failed negotiations, Ukraine filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization on Sept. 18. The Polish government has not yet responded.
Kachka said that Ukraine would start legal proceedings “to prove that these actions are legally wrong.”
Earlier in May, the EU imposed restrictions that allowed Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria to ban the domestic sale of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seed, while still permitting the transit of these products for exports elsewhere.
The nations requested the measure due to complaints from local farmers that cheap Ukrainian imports were driving down agriculture prices.
While the EU decided not to extend the ban beyond Sept. 15 after Kyiv pledged to take action to tighten export controls to neighboring countries, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary continued restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products.
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