EU moves to reduce or eliminate customs duties on Ukrainian agri-food products

The Council of the European Union has agreed on a position to reduce or remove customs duties on a range of Ukrainian agri-food products, including dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables, and meat and meat preparations.

According to Caliber.Az, this was stated in a press release by the Council of the European Union, published on October 13.

The decision sets the EU stance ahead of discussions in the EU-Ukraine Association Committee, which meets in trade configuration.

The move follows a preliminary agreement reached on June 30, 2025, between the European Commission and Ukraine to review the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The review aims to establish a long-term, predictable, and reciprocal trade framework, forming part of Ukraine’s broader EU accession process.

Speaking on the decision, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said:
"Today’s decision reaffirms the EU’s unwavering and multifaceted support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression. We are helping Ukraine militarily and financially, but we need to also help them by promoting trade liberalisation."

According to Rasmussen, both the EU and Ukraine will benefit from the elimination of customs duties, leading to sustained economic stability, enduring trade relations, and further Ukrainian integration with the Union.

The Council stressed that the EU’s agreed position will boost trade flows while linking Ukraine’s market access to its gradual compliance with EU standards on animal welfare, pesticide use, and veterinary medicines.

The arrangement also includes safeguards to protect sensitive EU agricultural sectors. In case of market disruption, either party can activate the mechanisms. Market access will remain gradual for highly sensitive products such as sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize, and honey, while full liberalisation is envisaged for non-sensitive products such as milk and milk-based items.

Once adopted by the Council, the decision will be considered by the EU-Ukraine Association Committee under Article 29(4) of the association agreement. The review process is intended to accelerate and broaden the elimination of customs duties between the EU and Ukraine.

The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, signed in 2014 and in force since 1 September 2017, seeks to deepen political ties, economic cooperation, and shared values. The DCFTA, the agreement’s economic component, aims to modernise Ukraine’s economy and trade.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU granted the country trade facilitations and exceptional autonomous liberalisation measures, renewed in 2023 and 2024, which expired on 6 June 2025.

By Aghakazim Guliyev