"We are in favour of finding solutions to the difficulties faced by some Member States. However, the integrity of the internal market cannot be an adjustment variable."
Agriculture ministers from thirteen EU member states - France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Greece, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Luxembourg, Estonia, Denmark, Slovenia and Spain - sent a stern letter to the Commission on Friday afternoon expressing their "concerns" about the Ukrainian grain agreement adopted "without consulting the member states".
According to this agreement, announced at the end of April, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are exempted from marketing Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower on their soil, provided that they accept the transit of these cereals to other European countries. This arrangement was found in response to the stocks accumulated in these countries - and the collapse of prices - which had led them to ban imports of Ukrainian grain.
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In their letter, the thirteen ministers criticise "differentiated treatment within the internal market" and call for a "clarification" from the Commission "on the articulation with European rules, the EU's obligations related to its customs agreement with Ukraine and the impact on other Member States".
They are also asking the Commission for "explanations" on how to use the €100 million promised to the five countries to support their farmers. This envelope is to complete a first payment of €56.3 million. The signatory Member States want to avoid a proliferation of requests for money. In Poland, after the farmers, it is now the transporters who are protesting against the dumping of the Ukrainians.