Poland is preparing new trade restrictions for products from Ukraine: which supplies are at risk

Poland is considering imposing tough trade restrictions on Ukrainian products. Among other things, they are considering introducing an additional 8% value-added tax (VAT) on vegetable oil and restricting sugar supplies from Ukraine to Poland. The latter is demanded by local farmers, who will start a new strike at the border on February 9.

Michal Kolodziejczak, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland, spoke about such plans on TVP Info. According to the Polish official, he will personally request the introduction of a VAT of "at least 8%" on oil that can come from Ukraine to Poland, 24.pl reports.

"To introduce VAT, at least 8%, on oil that can come from Ukraine to Poland... Why should it be at the 0% rate, which is intended for Polish producers and Polish consumers?" Kolodziejczak said.

As for sugar, commenting on the upcoming farmers' strike, Kolodziejczak supported the demands of the farmers and emphasized that "the border with Ukraine should be very tightly closed." As a reminder, the strike involves blocking border crossings. It is expected to start on February 9 and last for 30 days.

At the same time, Kolodziejczak also appealed to Polish sanitary authorities to"exercise full control over each batch of sugar". "I don't trust importers who determine that this sugar is good on their own," Kolodziejczak said during a press conference in Lublin.

He added that sugar has been excluded from the control of the sanitary inspection since 2011. "It is simply allowed to be sold on the basis of Ukrainian documents, which I personally do not trust and I know that those who can introduce this sugar can skip certain procedures," the official said.

According to Kolodziejczak, during one of the last checks at the border crossing with Ukraine, he found that the batch of sugar "had a strange smell." "This was confirmed by the officials who had the sugar sample on their desk," he said.

As a reminder, Poland has been banning imports of a number of Ukrainian agricultural products since spring 2023. The European Commission's decision in September of the same year to lift restrictions on imports of Ukrainian products did not affect the position of the Poles and some other neighbors of Ukraine, although it contradicts EU trade rules. Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary have imposed unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian imports.

At the same time, the European Commission has recently made an official proposal to extend the free trade regime with Ukraine without duties and quotas for another year, until June 2025. However, the proposal contains a strict reservation – the need to protect the European agricultural market from Ukrainian goods.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, earlier, European Commissioner from Poland Janusz Wojciechowski, who is responsible for agriculture in the European Commission, threatened to disrupt the extension of EU trade preferences for Ukraine. Among other things, the European Commissioner demanded a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, as well as quotas on sugar and poultry.

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