The European Union is poised to levy tariffs of up to 50% on imports of grain from Russia, amid concerns that the Kremlin might inundate the market with inexpensive wheat to disrupt the European market. This initiative, put forth by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, comes in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s appeal to EU leaders to address the issue of grain “stolen” by Russia from occupied territories.
The primary aim of this measure is to preempt any potential illicit dumping of grain, as part of Russia’s efforts to exploit various avenues in its conflict with Ukraine. A senior European official highlighted that the proposal seeks to avert the risk of destabilizing the EU market by preventing a significant influx of Russian grain, possibly facilitated through Belarus. Currently, Russian grain enters the EU market with minimal or no customs duties; however, under the proposed plan, a tariff of €95 (£82) per tonne would be imposed.
This tariff would apply to grain currently priced at up to €220 per tonne, depending on its quality. Zelenskiy raised concerns during his meeting with EU leaders in Brussels about the availability of Russian grain in the EU, while also lamenting the theft of Ukrainian grain and obstacles faced by Ukrainian farmers in exporting their produce to the EU, particularly for transit to other regions such as Africa and Asia.
