Poland takes week to consider Ukrainian grain proposal

Ukrainian and Polish agriculture ministers on Wednesday held talks to review the proposed licensing procedure for Ukrainian agricultural products amid a dispute over unilateral grain bans.

Warsaw said it was ready to study the Ukrainian proposal, although Polish agriculture minister Robert Telus insisted that "the most important thing is that grain does not flow to Poland at this time."

"Our position is firm: Grain from Ukraine should not enter the Polish market. Ukraine has taken note of our arguments," he told a briefing following the meeting.

Mr Telus also suggested that Ukraine withdraw its complaint to the World Trade Organisation.

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Both ministers agreed to meet in a week's time to discuss the licensing procedure again.

Ukrainian agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi said that in the coming days, a trilateral meeting of the ministers of agriculture of Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania will take place to discuss the transfer of veterinary control to the territory of the country of export destination.

Poland is one of the three EU countries that have unilaterally extended the ban on exports of Ukrainian agricultural products despite the European Commission's decision.

Last week, Ukraine filed lawsuits at the World Trade Organization against Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, after they banned the import of Ukrainian agricultural products.

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