EU remarks on the Ukrainian import restriction imposed by Poland and Hungary

The EU Commission has slammed a decision by Poland and Hungary to ban agricultural imports from Ukraine, saying such actions are "unacceptable" and go against the bloc's rules. Poland and Hungary cited the uncontrolled inflow of cheap produce from Ukraine resulting from the "full duty-free and free trade opportunities" granted by the EU to Kiev. The EU initially touted its initiative as a way to help its exports reach poorer nations in the Middle East and Africa, but much of the produce has ended up in Eastern Europe, sending local prices plummeting. Last month, the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia demanded action from the EU Commission on Ukrainian agricultural imports, calling for the reintroduction of tariffs. Warsaw has, meanwhile, banned both the import and transit of Ukrainian products through its territory. Ukraine's agriculture minister, Nikolay Solsky, is to meet his Polish counterpart, Robert Telus, on Monday to discuss the transit issues.