Ukraine, EU decide on free trade agreement review process
The EU and Ukraine have finished negotiating a mutually acceptable approach to revising and adjusting the existing Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) trade deal, the European Commission announced on June 30.
The need to review the DCFTA (signed in 2014) became acute earlier in June, when the EU cancelled the trade preferences it afforded Ukraine to support its economy in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion. Unfettered access to EU’s internal market for Ukrainian agricultural exports has caused substantial irritation in Poland, where farmers struggled to compete with relatively cheap Ukrainian produce.
According to the Commission, the forthcoming DCFTA review will rest on three main points:
- Equal playing field: Ukraine will gain market access while gradually aligning its production standards with those in Europe, including animal welfare, pesticide use and veterinary practices. Kyiv will report annually on its overall progress.
- Trusted safeguard provisions: Both sides can take restrictive measures if imports create adverse effects for either party. In the EU, this will be assessed at the level of one or several member states.
- Expanded trade flows: The agreement supports Ukrainian trade with the EU while addressing concerns for certain agricultural sectors. Sensitive commodities include sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, corn, and honey, while complete liberalization applies to less sensitive goods.
Ukraine and the EU also agreed to explore measures to help Ukrainian exporters access markets in third countries.
Officials said the review would further Ukraine’s gradual integration into the EU’s single market and create a basis for long-term economic certainty and stable trade relations.
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