European Parliament agrees to extend trade support for Moldova but continues work on Ukraine
On 13 March, the European Parliament endorsed the renewal of trade liberalisation measures for Moldova and amended the proposal on Ukraine to reinforce safeguards for EU farmers. Parliament voted with 347 votes in favour, 117 against and 99 abstentions to amend the Commission’s proposal to suspend import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU for another year, from 6 June 2024 to 5 June 2025.
The legislation gives the Commission the power to take swift action and impose any necessary measures should there be significant disruptions to the EU market, or to the markets of one or more EU countries due to Ukrainian imports, including an emergency brake for particularly sensitive agricultural products. MEPs voted to amend the Commission’s proposal to include more sensitive products and a wider reference date for calculating average volumes.
In a separate vote, Parliament agreed with 459 votes in favour, 65 against and 57 abstentions that all remaining duties on imports from Moldova should be suspended for another year.
These measures will now have to be formally approved by EU governments. The new regulation should enter into force immediately when the current regulation expires. The current suspension expires on 5 June 2024 for Ukraine and on 24 July 2024 for Moldova.
The Republic of Moldova relies heavily on Ukrainian transit routes and infrastructure for its own exports. The trade liberalisation measures allowed Moldova to redirect some of its trade with the rest of the world via the EU.
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