Ukraine has launched legal action against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over their unilateral bans on grain exports, which it considers to be a "violation of their international obligations."
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00:00 Ukraine is suing three EU member states at the World Trade Organization.
00:09 It comes on Monday after Poland, Hungary and Slovakia all refused to end the temporary
00:13 ban on grain products from the war-torn country.
00:17 At the same time, EU agriculture ministers were in Brussels Monday, where the issue was
00:22 at the heart of the meeting.
00:25 The France's minister, the three capitals' refusal to end the ban threatened in some
00:30 ways the foundations of the European project.
00:33 "We regret the unilateral measures taken by the front-line countries.
00:39 This is not the first time.
00:41 It is a serious issue for the single market and the common market.
00:46 It raises very serious questions.
00:47 It seems that we cannot have solidarity without unity.
00:52 And to have unity, we must also express solidarity."
00:56 To support the Ukrainian war effort, the European Commission decided in 2022 to lift custom
01:01 duties on the country's grain imports, helping facilitate exports to Africa and the Middle
01:07 East.
01:10 But stocks have built up in neighbouring member states.
01:13 So much so, the prices on local markets have fallen.
01:19 Last spring, five member states decided to unilaterally suspend this EU measure.
01:26 The Commission eventually reached a compromise with the five rebel countries, though, but
01:29 this ended on Friday and didn't ease the political difficulties.
01:37 Germany says it's struggling to understand their position.
01:40 "The position of the Commission is very clear.
01:45 We don't want to extend the customs duties.
01:50 We don't need to do that.
01:53 According to our information, the Ukrainian grain imports are absorbing the market.
01:59 And I want to say that the countries that are in urgent need of a destination are the
02:05 ones that can do more by prioritising the solidarity lanes.
02:08 I don't see a reason for unilateral measures."
02:11 And as Brussels is asking Kiev to control its exports so as not to destabilise its European
02:16 neighbours.
02:18 Bulgarian farmers demonstrated on Monday and Hungarian producers on Sunday to maintain
02:23 restrictions on products from Ukraine.
02:25 [BLANK_AUDIO]