The member states fully stand by Ukraine and provide all the necessary support in these difficult times for Kyiv, but this cannot mean that European farmers pay the price of the war, eight representatives of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA) stated in the In a statement sent to MTI on Thursdays.
In the announcement, Enikő Győri and Ernő Schaller-Baross (pictured), Fidesz, Vincze Loránt and Gyula Winkler, the Romanian Hungarian Democratic Union (RMDSZ), Dominik Tarczynski, Elzbieta Rafalska and Bogdan Rzonca, the European Conservatives (ECR) and Katarína Roth Neveďalová, a representative of the Social Democratic (S&D) faction of the EP, reminded that at the end of February, the European Commission proposed to extend the suspension of import duties, quotas and market protection measures for Ukrainian grain to the European Union, the so-called autonomous trade benefits, for another year.
They were informed that the EP committee voted on Thursday to extend the autonomous trade liberalization measure facilitating the import of Ukrainian agricultural products into the EU for one year. They said they abstained from the vote on extending the trade measures.
"Our countries fully stand by Ukraine and provide all necessary support in these difficult times for Kiev, but this cannot mean that our masters pay the price of war".
They emphasized: by staying, they gave the member states and the European Commission a chance to conclude their relevant negotiations and reach an agreement that is acceptable to all member states. The extension of the regulation also gives the European Commission the opportunity to apply extraordinary protective measures that can put an end to the current unfortunate situation. However, a concrete guarantee is needed from the EU commission to fulfill the promises made to the governments and to implement these protective measures, they stated.
However, since the EU committee has so far not recommended guarantees, the eight representatives of the EP's committee responsible for international trade, who issued the statement, call on the body to find a solution to the problem of the member states as soon as possible and save the producers' harvest this year, they announced.
"We trust that the European Commission will find a solution to the challenges of our farmers as soon as possible. Staying on the ballot was a sign of our anticipated trust. It is time for the EU Commission to fulfill its promises to the Member States"
- said the representatives of the EP committee.
The European Parliament group of Fidesz also sent a statement to MTI, in which Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri called it a strong message that not only the governments of the affected member states bordering Ukraine, but also their MEPs acted together because of the untenable situation. The abstention of the eight MEPs from the vote was a sign of anticipated confidence. "I am very confident that the EU committee will not let the farmers on the eastern border of the EU down this time," added Enikő Győri.
Fidesz MEP Ernő Schaller-Baross said: the European Parliament is rushing ahead as usual, while the negotiations between the member states and the European Commission are still ongoing.
The full article of Magyar Hírlap/MTI can be read here.
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