Press Release – Ecommerce Europe supports removing customs duties from Ukraine

22 June 2022

In the context of the war in Ukraine that started in February 2022, the EU has published a Regulation 2022/870 on temporary trade liberalisation supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products[1] on 3 June 2022. With an exceptionally accelerated decision-making process, the proposal was tabled by the European Commission on 27 April, approved by the European Parliament in plenary setting three weeks later, and followed by the Council of the EU’s adoption already on 24 May.

Ecommerce Europe would like to show full support for this initiative and for the EU Institutions’ eagerness to provide a relief mechanism for the Ukrainian economy and businesses. The ongoing conflict has had a profound negative impact on Ukraine’s ability to trade with the rest of the world due to the severe impact on its production capacity and vital export routes.

Luca Cassetti, Secretary General of Ecommerce Europe, commented: “This EU initiative will add much-needed flexibility and more certainty for the Ukrainian economy, but also for European consumers and Ukrainian products sold in Europe. Ecommerce Europe stands ready to support the EU Institutions in putting forward and implementing any necessary measures for alleviating the difficult situation of Ukrainian producers and exporters in these difficult times.”

The temporary and exceptional measures will contribute to supporting and fostering the existing trade flows from Ukraine to the Union, via three actions valid for a period of one year:

• Temporary suspension of all outstanding tariffs under Title IV of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine establishing a deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA). This concerns three categories of products: industrial products subject to duty phase out by the end of 2022; fruits and vegetables subject to the entry-price system; agricultural products and processed agricultural products subject to tariff-rate quotas.
• Temporary non-collection of anti-dumping duties on imports originating in Ukraine as of the date of entry into force of the Regulation;
• Temporary suspension of the application of the common rules for imports (safeguard) with respect of imports originating in Ukraine.

Ecommerce Europe’s members have already launched initiatives at national level aimed to support Ukraine, and we will continue to closely monitor the activities and initiatives of the EU Institutions.