Csaba Dömötör, an MEP of ruling Fidesz, said in Brussels on Wednesday that the European Commission’s agricultural trade deal with Ukraine will have "serious consequences" for Hungarian farmers.
Speaking to Hungarian reporters, Dömötör said that under the deal, the EU and Hungary would have to allow larger quantities of Ukrainian grain, chicken, eggs, honey and other agricultural products onto their markets.
The agreement, Dömötör said, was explicitly aimed at preparing Ukraine’s full-fledged EU membership, setting quotas for how much of each agricultural product has to be allowed customs-free entry onto EU markets. Although the exact quotas have yet to be revealed, the new agreement allows for the entry of significantly more grain, chicken, eggs, honey and other products, compared with the previous free trade deal, the MEP said.
"This will have significant consequences for Hungarian farmers," he added.
Whereas the EU has said that Ukraine had to adopt certain EU regulations, "anonymous EU bureaucrats have admitted that no one will be sent to Ukraine in order to verify that this happens", Domotor said. He said the reason why was a key issue because, according to the Farm Europe think-tank, there are currently at least 68 kinds of pesticides used in Ukraine banned in the EU.
Also, instead of helping Ukrainian small farmers, the deal would favour large agricultural holding companies, most of which are under Western European and American ownership, he said.
"They get the business opportunities, but the consequences will have to be borne by European and Hungarian farmers," Dömötör said. "That’s what the plan looks like, but they’d better not expect us to like it."
Dömötör said Hungarian farmers had already experienced what it was like when the European Commission opened the EU markets to Ukrainian grain products in 2022, which caused "a massive shock" in the central and eastern European region. The Hungarian government therefore introduced a ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, he said, adding, however, that this new trade deal would override Hungary’s ban and for the country to open up its markets.
"It’s unacceptable that the European Commission is signing agreements over the heads of Hungarian farmers at their expense, "Dömötör said.