Latest news with #ChristopheHansen
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
EU reimposes pre-war agri duties on Ukraine, seeks compromise in new deal
BRUSSELS - The European Union reimposed duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural products from Friday, and hopes to clinch a deal on new quotas that will be smaller than imports during the last three years after Russia's invasion, the EU's agriculture commissioner told Reuters. The EU temporarily waived duties and quotas on agricultural products in June 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion to help Ukraine compensate for the higher costs of its exports, after Russia threatened its traditional Black Sea shipping lanes. Those tariff suspensions expired on Thursday. The EU and Ukraine reverted to the pre-war regime of trade quotas on Friday, while the two sides negotiate a new longer-term deal. Brussels is seeking to strike a balance between supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, and heeding European farmers' concerns about cheaper Ukrainian imports. "What will be negotiated will be something in between the quotas under the existing DCFTA and the autonomous trade measures, the volumes that have been exported there," EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday. The DCFTA refers to Ukraine and the EU's pre-war trade deal. The EU's "autonomous trade measures" temporarily suspended quotas on Ukrainian imports from 2022. Ukraine's farm minister Vitaliy Koval told Reuters this week that Kyiv was pushing for an agreement on higher quotas than it had before the war. EU farmers have complained that large shipments of cheaper Ukrainian sugar imports under the wartime tariff exemptions have undercut local supplies. The EU triggered "emergency brakes" to re-impose quotas on products including sugar and eggs in the past year, in response to surging imports. The EU's Ukrainian sugar imports soared to 400,000 tons in the 2022/23 season and over 500,000 tons in 2023/24, far exceeding the pre-war quota of 20,000 tons. Hansen said the new quotas on sugar would be "significantly higher" than those under the pre-war arrangements. "I think we can absorb a certain amount of those products," he said, while noting sensitivities among European farmers concerned about higher imports of sugar, poultry and eggs. Negotiations on the new EU-Ukraine deal started on June 2. Hansen said it was feasible a deal could be reached by summer. "It depends now on both sides, I think technically that could be feasible," he said. Agricultural goods accounted for about 60% of Ukraine's total exports last year, with the EU buying around 60% of those goods, worth about $15 billion. A senior Ukrainian lawmaker said last month the loss of tariff-free access to the EU market could cost the country 3.5 billion euros ($3.99 billion) in annual revenue. "Our solidarity with Ukraine is as firm as ever, and therefore we are very committed to deliver this agreement as quickly as possible," Hansen said. The pre-war quota regime, which applies as of Friday, also includes lighter rules on import licenses for some goods like poultry and eggs, where instead of requiring licenses, quotas will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
06-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
New EU-Ukraine agri trade quotas to be 'in between' current deal and wartime exemptions
BRUSSELS, June 6 (Reuters) - The European Union and Ukraine are negotiating a new deal that will set import quotas on agricultural goods from Ukraine somewhere "in between" current levels and the temporary exemptions granted after Russia's 2022 invasion, the EU's agriculture commissioner told Reuters. The EU temporarily waived duties and quotas on agricultural products in June 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion to help Ukraine compensate for the higher costs of its exports, after Russia threatened its traditional Black Sea shipping lanes. Those tariff suspensions expired on Thursday. The EU and Ukraine reverted to the pre-war regime of trade quotas on Friday, while the two sides negotiate a new longer-term deal - in which Brussels is seeking to strike a balance between supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, and heeding European farmers' concerns about cheaper Ukrainian imports. "What will be negotiated will be something in between the quotas under the existing DCFTA and the autonomous trade measures, the volumes that have been exported there," EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday. The DCFTA refers to Ukraine and the EU's pre-war trade deal. The EU's "autonomous trade measures" temporarily suspended quotas on Ukrainian imports from 2022. Ukraine's farm minister Vitaliy Koval told Reuters this week that Kyiv was pushing for an agreement on higher quotas than it had before the war. EU farmers have complained that large shipments of cheaper Ukrainian sugar imports under the wartime tariff exemptions have undercut local supplies. The EU triggered "emergency brakes" to re-impose quotas on products including sugar and eggs in the past year, in response to surging imports. The EU's Ukrainian sugar imports soared to 400,000 tons in the 2022/23 season and over 500,000 tons in 2023/24, far exceeding the pre-war quota of 20,000 tons. Hansen said the new quotas on sugar would be "significantly higher" than those under the pre-war arrangements. "I think we can absorb a certain amount of those products," he said, while noting sensitivities around sugar, poultry and eggs. Negotiations on the new EU-Ukraine deal started on June 2. Hansen said it was feasible a deal could be reached by summer. "It depends now on both sides, I think technically that could be feasible," he said. Agricultural goods accounted for about 60% of Ukraine's total exports last year, with the EU buying around 60% of those goods, worth about $15 billion. A senior Ukrainian lawmaker said last month the loss of tariff-free access to the EU market could cost the country 3.5 billion euros ($3.99 billion) in annual revenue. "Our solidarity with Ukraine is as firm as ever, and therefore we are very committed to deliver this agreement as quickly as possible," Hansen said. The pre-war quota regime, which applies as of Friday, also includes lighter rules on import licenses for some goods like poultry and eggs, where instead of requiring licenses, quotas will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. ($1 = 0.8763 euros)
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New EU-Ukraine agri trade quotas to be 'in between' current deal and wartime exemptions
New EU-Ukraine agri trade quotas to be 'in between' current deal and wartime exemptions BRUSSELS - The European Union and Ukraine are negotiating a new deal that will set import quotas on agricultural goods from Ukraine somewhere "in between" current levels and the temporary exemptions granted after Russia's 2022 invasion, the EU's agriculture commissioner told Reuters. The EU temporarily waived duties and quotas on agricultural products in June 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion to help Ukraine compensate for the higher costs of its exports, after Russia threatened its traditional Black Sea shipping lanes. Those tariff suspensions expired on Thursday. The EU and Ukraine reverted to the pre-war regime of trade quotas on Friday, while the two sides negotiate a new longer-term deal. "What will be negotiated will be something in between the quotas under the existing DCFTA and the autonomous trade measures, the volumes that have been exported there," EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday. The DCFTA refers to Ukraine and the EU's pre-war trade deal. The EU's "autonomous trade measures" temporarily suspended quotas on Ukrainian imports from 2022. Ukraine's farm minister Vitaliy Koval told Reuters this week that Kyiv was pushing for an agreement on higher quotas than it had before the war. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
05-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
EU could approve Mercosur deal by summer, agriculture chief says
BRUSSELS, June 5 (Reuters) - The European Union could approve its planned trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur before summer, but it has not yet fixed a date to do so, EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters on Thursday. "It could be before summer," Hansen said in an interview. EU nations still need to approve the deal, which was finalised in December but has faced opposition from members including France, which argues that the pact would hurt European farmers who face stricter norms and regulations than their South American peers. French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva discussed their differences on the pact at a meeting in Paris on Thursday. Macron said the text could be improved with the insertion of mirror clauses. France has previously argued for the insertion of an emergency break clause to restrict imports if a sudden surge in imports destabilises certain EU markets. "This would indeed require that we go back to the table and reopen. I don't think that this would be helpful in this situation," Hansen said of the idea of resuming negotiations with Mercosur countries to add new safeguards to the deal. "I see from many different parts of the agriculture and food sector, they are really looking for having these new opportunities," he added.
Agriland
31-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Is there a way to make farming ‘more attractive' to the next generation?
One of the big questions that Europe is grappling with at the moment is how to make farming 'more attractive' to younger people. We have had the Vision for Agriculture and Food, from the European Commission, which it claims is 'an ambitious roadmap on the future of farming and food in Europe'. In it the commission promises to set out a generational renewal strategy in 2025, which will include 'recommendations on measures needed both at the EU and national/regional level to address the barriers to young and new people' entering farming. The commission also plans to present a proposal for the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which will include measures to support young farmers. Earlier this month the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, hosted a youth policy dialogue with young farmers in Brussels – all participants were below 40 years old in line with the age limit to qualify as a young farmer. One of the key discussions was the current profile and make up of the farming population in Europe. Source: European Commission The dialogue focused on the needs, aspirations, and barriers faced by young people entering or remaining in the farming sector and the commissioner was keen to stress that he is listening to young farmers and taking on board their concerns. What's stopping young people from farming in the future? We asked. They answered—with bold ideas, real challenges & clear demands. From land to credit and skills, they're ready to lead The is listening. The next generation is at the table. Let's keep the momentum going. Christophe Hansen (@CHansenEU) May 7, 2025 Closer to home the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has said that an independent commission report on generational renewal in farming here is set to be released before the end of next month. The commission, which was established last October, 2024, has according to Minister Heydon adopted an 'objective, evidence-based approach to examining all the complex factors involved'. Earlier this year the minister also awarded over €1.5 million for three new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects on the theme of generational renewal. These projects include: Farm Forward: Connecting Generations and Farming for the Future – which is a partnership between Ballyhoura Development; Teagasc; Dairygold; some farm organisations; and Cork and Limerick county councils, among others; Renewal in Agriculture through Intergenerational Support & Empowerment' (RAISE), – operated by the Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council; the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS); Teagasc; Aurivo; and Dairygold, among others; Using Share Farming to Facilitate Generational Renewal – which is operated by the Land Mobility Service; Succession Ireland; Teagasc; Lakeland Dairies; and Macra, among others. But while discussions at home and further afield continue on the theme of generational renewal in farming a leading rural sociologist was in Ireland this week to share what he believes needs to be done to make agriculture 'more attractive'. Professor Frank Vanclay (centre) with Dr. Áine Macken-Walsh, Teagasc sociologist and Paul Maher, head of international relations and corporate strategy in Teagasc Source: Teagasc Professor Frank Vanclay from the University of Groningen shared a 'framework' which offers concrete guidance for designing CAP measures, extension services, and innovation programmes which he believes could reverse the trend of agricultural decline and 'youth disengagement' from farming. Speaking at Teagasc's Mellows Campus Prof. Vanclay said the framework revolves around four key principles including: Making farming attractive beyond economics ; Addressing structural disadvantages; Farmer-led innovation systems; Simplifying policy implementation. Farming and the next generation According to Prof. Vanclay getting young people into agriculture requires 'addressing emotional, cultural and identity' aspects of farming and not just economic incentives. 'Sustainability means staying on the farm', he said and policies should take on board the 'deep desire of farmers' to hand their farm over to their children – but at the same time there needs to be policies that appeal to women farmers and non-traditional farm workers. The leading rural sociologist also warned that complex and inflexible programmes reduce farmer trust and participation. He has called for 'simpler, context-sensitive programmes co-designed with farmers to enhance both legitimacy and effectiveness'. He also cautioned that while crucial discussions are underway in Ireland and across Europe to encourage younger people to go into farming and to stick with it, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to this issue. Instead Prof. Vanclay said 'differentiated support tailored to specific farming styles and local contexts' is crucial to attract the next generation of farmers whether this is in Ireland or other European countries.
