Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary fear that Ukrainian agricultural exports to international markets will once again primarily have to pass through their territories. They worry that this situation will lead to a surplus of agricultural products in their markets, potentially disrupting competition.
The (temporary) import ban on Ukrainian grain not only affects direct trade between Ukraine and European markets but also more distant sales markets. To alleviate the situation and reduce dependence on the Black Sea route, efforts are currently underway to make the Danube shipping route to the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta more accessible. This port can offer an alternative route for Ukrainian grain exports.
The project to improve the Danube shipping route is a collaboration between Romania and other European partners. The goal is to deepen and widen the waterway to accommodate larger ships with greater cargo capacity. This will significantly increase the port's capacity, allowing for more efficient transportation of agricultural products. The European Commission has pledged its support for this initiative and has allocated funds to finance and accelerate these improvements.
However, the five Central European countries emphasize the importance of the project and urge accelerated action to complete the Danube shipping route in time. They are determined to limit the consequences of the import ban and protect their markets from a possible influx of Ukrainian agricultural products. Furthermore, they see improving the Danube shipping route as a strategic investment that will strengthen the region’s trade infrastructure and reduce dependence on a single transport route.
It is now up to the European Commission to decide on the request from the five Central European countries to extend the temporary import ban on Ukrainian grain. This decision may be made at the regular meeting of the 27 agriculture ministers at the end of this month. Earlier, some EU countries had already indicated that they find the hindrance of Ukrainian international trade too pro-Moscow and anti-Kyiv.