The European Commission is gearing up to reinstate pre-war tariff limits on select Ukrainian agricultural goods starting June 6, signaling the end of a temporary trade break that followed Russia’s invasion. Originally designed to support Ukraine’s embattled economy, those tariff waivers are now on the chopping block.
The rollback targets some of the most controversial imports—products that have swamped EU markets and sparked fury among local farmers. We’re talking eggs, wheat, pork, poultry, dairy, beef, and maize—staples that European producers say are undercutting them due to looser Ukrainian farming standards.
For years, the flood of Ukrainian goods—untouched by the EU’s rigorous safety and environmental rules—has been a sore spot. Farmers across the bloc have warned they simply can’t compete. Throw in the pressure of the Green Deal, spiking energy bills, and tightening environmental laws, and you’ve got a powder keg. That frustration boiled over last year with farmers staging massive protests, even driving tractors straight into the heart of Brussels to demand relief.
With elections looming and tempers flaring, political leaders in key countries like Poland and France decided enough was enough. These governments pushed hard to bring the zero-tariff window to a close, arguing that the status quo was politically unsustainable.
Nowhere is this debate more intense than in Poland, where farmers have repeatedly blocked Ukrainian border checkpoints. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s liberal government, eager to regain rural support ahead of the May 18 presidential vote, has thrown its weight behind the tariff reintroduction.
Still, the European Commission is framing this move as a stopgap, not a long-term fix. Officials say the current restrictions will eventually be replaced with a broader, more permanent trade agreement starting next year. For now, though, Brussels is walking a tightrope—trying to balance support for Ukraine with growing unrest at home.
