Spanish farmers demand EU impose duties on Ukrainian oil

Spanish agricultural associations complain about Ukraine’s introduction of a 10% duty on the export of sunflower, rapeseed and soybean seeds, which has led to “unfair competition in the European oil market.”

Interfax-Ukraine reports.

Thus, the Spanish Association of Young Farmers (ASAJA), together with the European professional organization Copa-Cogeca, has filed a complaint with the European Commission.

According to the associations, Ukraine introduced the tax on seeds in order to keep raw materials within the country, where domestic industry “can purchase them at artificially low prices, significantly lower than the market value.” The associations believe that this allows Ukraine to export the finished product to the EU at record low prices, with which European producers cannot compete.

“This strategy has led to a sharp increase in imports of Ukrainian oil into the EU from 2 to over 3 million tons, which now accounts for 41% of all oil entering the Union,” the association said in a statement.

The associations officially called on the European Commission to immediately abolish the 10% duty on Ukrainian oilseed exports. If the business association refuses, they have proposed imposing duties on EU imports of Ukrainian vegetable oil.

USM previously reported that Spain rescued a Russian tanker under sanctions after its engine broke down.