Tariffs on imports

EU summit: Russian grain to become more expensive

In the EU, significantly more grain has been imported from Russia since the start of the war.(Bild: AFP)

The EU Commission wants to impose higher tariffs on imports of Russian grain. This is intended to put a stop to rising import figures. However, this does not go far enough for some members.

The authority has prepared a corresponding proposal, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen late on Thursday evening after talks between the EU heads of state and government at a summit in Brussels. In addition to grain, it would also affect other agricultural products from Russia and Belarus.

According to von der Leyen, the aim is also to prevent grain stolen from Ukraine from being sold in the EU. Russian grain should not destabilize the EU market and Russia should not benefit from the export of these goods.

Significant increase in imports
According to figures from the statistics office Eurostat, EU countries have significantly increased their grain imports from Russia in recent years. While grain imports from Russia to the EU were just under 120 million euros (2020) and a good 290 million euros (2021) in the pre-war years 2020 and 2021, the figure was around 325 million euros in 2022 and almost 440 million euros a year later.

Prior to the summit, several EU states had sent a letter to the EU Commission demanding that the Commission prepare import restrictions for Russian grain. According to the letter, which was signed by the agriculture ministers from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, Russia is also financing the ongoing war against Ukraine with profits from grain exports to the EU.

In addition, the Commission should examine the extent to which imports of agricultural products of Russian and Belarusian origin into the EU could be further restricted.

Tariffs only apply to the EU area
The proposal is controversial because the EU did not actually want to restrict the import and export of agricultural products. The Commission is now arguing that tariffs are not sanctions. In addition, it should be guaranteed that the duties only apply to imports that remain in the EU. Russian exports to other regions of the world should not become more expensive as a result.

At the same time, EU member states and the European Parliament recently agreed to limit the duty-free import of certain agricultural imports from Ukraine from June. Eggs, poultry, sugar, but also oats, corn and honey are affected. Wheat and barley, on the other hand, are not to be added to the list.