Ukraine, Poland enter talks on grain export quotas
Warsaw and Kyiv are getting ready to begin technical negotiations on export licenses for Ukrainian agricultural produce entering Poland, public broadcaster Polskie Radio 24 reported on Jan. 23.
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The talks will begin in a few days and will hopefully put an end to the months-long trade dispute between the two countries, Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said.
“Our experts from the Ministry of Agriculture will talk to experts from the Ministry of Agriculture of Ukraine and discuss the details,” he said.
“There will be licenses that will determine the volume of exports. These licenses will also specify the recipient and where the goods are sent. We want to formalize it a bit, but at the same time organize [smooth] trade flows. We will also be the holders of these licenses and will check the imports of these goods into Poland.”
At the same time, the negotiations do not mean the current embargo is lifted—it will remain in force for the time being, the minister stated.
“Until we agree on bilateral rules for the movement of goods, the embargo will not be lifted,” he said.
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“Only if we reach an agreement and agree on some things will we be able to talk about lifting the embargo.”
The European Union is preparing a draft resolution extending tariff-free trade with Ukraine until June 2025, rejecting Poland's proposal to reintroduce tariffs on certain "sensitive products."
Read also: Brussels probes European countries' weaponry contributions to Kyiv
Siekierski announced on Jan. 4 that Poland is imposing an indefinite embargo on imports of Ukrainian grain.
Polish truckers ended their protests, unblocking the last checkpoint on the Ukrainian border on Jan. 16.
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