This week, the European Parliament urgently reviewed and on Thursday, 18 May, voted on the proposal of European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis to put on hold import duties for Ukrainian export goods. This would ease the situation for Ukrainian producers and exporters during the war. This proposal was submitted to the European Parliament by the Committee on International Trade. Latvian MEP Sandra Kalniete is responsible for Ukrainian affairs in this committee.
Kalniete commented: “Europe’s support of Ukraine must be continuous and effective on all levels and using all of the instruments available to us – not just arms and sanctions but also trade, so we can help out Ukraine’s economy. I am grateful to colleagues in the European Parliament that we have passed the European Commission’s proposal through a quick procedure and for its approval at this plenary meeting.”
The proposal prepared by the European Commission provides for halting EU import duties for Ukrainian exports for a year. This includes industrial goods, fruits and vegetables, as well as cancelling anti-dumping duties and safeguard measures on imports of steel. At the beginning of the week Sandra Kalniete’s report to the Committee on International Trade was supported with majority of votes.
“Ukraine is defending all of Europe. We live in peace, we don’t have to hide in cellars from bombs and we are not forced to flee our homes. It is our moral duty to assist the brave Ukrainian nation any way we can,” Kalniete stressed.
Source: bnn-news.com