Ukraine and Moldova: Council of the EU adopts negotiating mandate to renew suspension of import duties and quotas

On 21 February, the ambassadors of EU member states agreed on the Council’s negotiating mandate on two legislative proposals which aim to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian and Moldovan exports to the EU for another year.

The proposal concerning autonomous trade measures for Ukraine aims to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas for another year (from 6 June 2024 to 5 June 2025), while reinforcing protection for sensitive agricultural products, by beefing up the safeguard measures already included in the current regulation (EU) 2023/1077 and including a new automatic safeguard for certain sensitive products.

The proposal concerning autonomous trade measures for Moldova aims to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas for another year (from 25 July 2024 to 24 July 2025), while reinforcing protection for sensitive agricultural products, by beefing up the safeguard measures already included in the current regulation (EU) 2023/1524.

By renewing these measures, the EU will continue to support and foster the trade flows from Ukraine to the EU and the rest of the world, and will enhance economic and trade relations leading towards Ukraine’s gradual integration in the EU internal market, the Council of the EU said in a press release.

At the same time, the renewal of these measures will help to maintain the conditions necessary to enable Moldova to continue its trade relations with the EU and with the rest of the world via the EU in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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Press release