The European Commission, executive arm of the European Union (EU), launched this Wednesday the proposal to suspend for a period of one year all tariffs on the import of products from Ukraineas a gesture of support for that country at war with Russia.
The idea is designed “to help boost Ukraine’s exports to the EU. It will help alleviate the difficult situation of Ukrainian producers and exporters in the face of Russia’s military invasion,” the Commission said in a statement.
The European Commissioner for Trade and Vice President of the Commission, Vladis Dombrovskis, stressed in the statement that “never before has the EU adopted such trade liberalization measures, which are unprecedented in their scale.”
It is about, he pointed out, granting Ukraine “access to the EU market with zero tariff and zero quota. Since the beginning of the aggression of Russiathe EU has prioritized the importance of keeping Ukraine’s economy going, which is so crucial to helping it win this war.”
The move directly helps “Ukrainian producers and exporters. It will inject confidence into the Ukrainian economy and send a strong signal that the EU will do whatever it takes to help Ukraine in its hour of need.”
The proposal to allow the entry into the EU of Ukrainian exports with zero tariff will now have to be evaluated by the European Parliament and the European Council.
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