Ukrainian Agrarian Policy Ministry outlines principles of restrictions of grain exports to EU

MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - The European Commission's decision to lift the restrictions on exports of Ukrainian agricultural products based on additional control measures is constructive, Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Nikolai Solsky said.

"We have a long-awaited European Commission decision, and the restrictions have been lifted. And we are thankful for the constructive position," Ukrainian media reported citing Solsky as saying in his remarks at the European Parliament's Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

Ukraine drafted an action plan for agrifood export control within 72 hours and has submitted it to the European Commission, he said.

"In line with our action plan, Ukraine will control and regulate exports as follows: we shall coordinate the necessary list and volume of agrarian products including four crops with the European Commission and the importing countries, and they shall decide whether they are willing to receive these crops, and if yes, when and in what quantities. Only after that shall we issue licenses to our businesses to export these products or others. That is, Ukraine will control its exports and coordinate them with the recipient countries," he said.

The Ukrainian government on Tuesday approved a new procedure for exports of certain agricultural products to certain EU countries, Solsky said. In particular, exports of Ukrainian corn, rapeseed, sunflower, and wheat to five EU countries must be licensed by the Economy Ministry in coordination with the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry, he said.