EU Council increases tariffs on Russian and Belarusian grain products
NewsEuropean Council hikes tariffs on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus.
On May 30, the European Council adopted a regulation that aims to levy prohibitive tariffs on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus. The regulation increases duties on cereals, oilseeds and derived products from Russia and Belarus to a point that will in practice halt imports of these products.
“The new tariffs set today aim to stop the imports of grain from Russia and Belarus into the EU in practice. These measures will therefore prevent the destabilisation of the EU’s grain market, halt Russian exports of illegally appropriated grain produced in the territories of Ukraine and prevent Russia from using revenues from exports to the EU to fund its war of aggression against Ukraine. This is yet another way in which the EU is showing steady support to Ukraine,” said Vincent Van Peteghem, Belgian minister for finance.
The regulation increases import tariffs for cereals, oilseeds and derived products as well as beet-pulp pellets and dried peas from the Russian Federation, as well as from the Republic of Belarus, for which, at present, importers pay no or low tariffs. In addition, those goods will be barred from access to the Union’s tariff rate quotas.
These measures concern products originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus to the EU. They will not affect transit through the EU from both countries to other third countries.
The measures will enter into force on 1 July 2024.