The European Union imposed an emergency brake on imports of eggs and sugar from Ukraine on July 2, according to the European Commission's statement.
The updated rules of duty-free and quota-free trade in agricultural products between Ukraine and the EU came into force on June 6.
According to the newly implemented rules, an emergency brake can be applied to imports of eggs, poultry, sugar, oats, maize, groats, and honey. The measure will be automatically triggered if import volumes reach the average yearly imports recorded between July 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2023.
For eggs and sugar, this average is 23,188.96 metric tons and 262,652.68 metric tons, respectively. After reaching these import volumes, the European Commission has 14 days to reintroduce the relevant tariff quota.
A new tariff quota is set at 9,662.07 metric tons and for sugar at 109,438.62 metric tons. The updated tariff quota will take effect from Jan. 1, 2025, until June 5, 2025, the European Commission said.
Ukraine exported to all third countries a total of 32,000 metric tons of egg products in 2022 and 57,000 metric tons in 2023. Regarding sugar, Ukraine exported about 181,000metric tons in 2022 and 508,000 metric tons in 2023, according to the EU's calculations.
Olena Goncharova
(Updated: )
