The European Parliament expects Ukraine to enforce agreements

Briefing by MEP Enikő Győri

The current EU-Ukraine trade agreement in force was imposing strict quotas on the import of Ukrainian chicken breast fillet in order to protect the internal market of the EU. However, Ukraine recognized a loophole in the legislation and found its way to get behind the line of defence of the EU. This resulted in Ukrainian duty-free chicken breast to appear on the European market, endangering the position of poultry producers of the EU. The International Trade Committee (INTA) of the European Parliament adopted today the proposal of MEP Enikő Győri (Fidesz) to put an end to the excessive import of pultry meat from Ukraine.

Enikő Győri explained: ”A loophole in the agreement went unnoticed by the legistlators, which was found by the Ukranian creativity. They recognized, that with an untraditional cut of the poultry meat, the quota can be circumwented. They started to import the so-called ”Batman-chicken”, which kept a small part of the wings on the breast fillet only to cut it whithin the borders of the EU. Until now Ukraine could continue this duty-free practice without quotas, endangering the interests of producers from the Union. They could circumwent the limitations imposed by the agreement thanks to a plastic surgery”. As a result, in 2018, 55 thousand tons of non-traditionally cut poultry entered to EU territory.

”According to the Commission’s proposal, the tariff lines for the non-traditional cut were integrated into the quota for the breast fillet, while its quantity limits were inceased. The Ukranian government approved the changes, we are waiting for the Ukranian Parliament to ratify it. On its november session the EP is expected to adopt the proposal as well”, pointed out the EPP Group politician.

Győri Enikő expressed her content that a way was opened to eliminate the market-distortive effect of excessive poultry import from Ukraine and to restore the protection of the EU poultry producers. The Fidesz MEP reminded the European Commission: ”it is an imperative to make future trade agreements loophole-proof”.