Romania has not imported agricultural products, including wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower, from Ukraine in the last six months, data on registered customs operations from the Romanian Customs Authority shows, according to Euractiv.
Since 16 September, the Commission has not extended the restrictions on Ukrainian imports initially implemented in May after the farming industry in neighboring countries expressed opposition to the corridors implemented to help Ukrainian farm products.
Romania was importing more than 20 times the amount of Ukrainian agri-food products in 2022 compared to the previous year, but with an emergency ordinance, the government restricted imports from Ukraine and Moldova.
In response to the Commission’s decision, the Romanian government enacted an emergency ordinance to regulate the import of agricultural products from Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova.
According to this ordinance, wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower can only be imported with authorization by economic operators with registered offices and work points in Romania.
These operators must be engaged in specific economic sectors such as manufacturing oils and fats, manufacturing milling products, farm animal feed, and animal husbandry.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development grants the authorization.
“Although the ordinance came into effect on 13 October, no import operations for original agricultural products from Ukraine have been recorded by the Romanian Customs Authority from 16 September to 13 October or since then until now”, the authority announced.
The emergency ordinance is applicable until 31 December 2023.
Hungary, Poland and Slovakia also unilaterally banned Ukrainian grain exports in September.
Speaking to Euractiv, the European Commission expressed its concern regarding the national bans on Ukrainian imports in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.