The European Commission on Wednesday proposed measures to limit agricultural imports from Ukraine and offer greater flexibility on rules for fallow land in a bid to quell protests by angry farmers in France and other EU members.

EU plans curbs on Ukraine farm imports to calm angry farmers
Measures possible for other farm produce if markets disrupted

Belgian farmers block roads to Zeebrugge port as French protests spill over
Spanish farmers plan February protests as anger spreads across Europe
Belgian farmers angry about rising costs, EU environmental policies and cheap food imports blocked access roads to the Zeebrugge container port on Tuesday.

Ukraine to punish firms for violating farm exports rules to Eastern Europe
Cheap Ukrainian exports have sparked protests in neighbouring countries
Ukraine on Monday said it has tightened rules related to certain food exports, imposing a six-month trading ban for any companies violating the regulations, to ease tensions with bordering countries.

EU countries fail to agree on extending glyphosate approval
Current approval expires Dec. 15
Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments failed on Friday to give a decisive opinion on a proposal to extend by 10 years EU approval for the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup herbicide. A “qualified majority” of 15 countries representing at least 65 per cent of the bloc’s population had been […] Read more

Romania, Ukraine to work on grain import-export licensing system
Three other EU countries have bans in place
Bucharest | Reuters — Romania will work with Ukraine over the next 30 days on a grain export control plan that will help protect Romanian farmers, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday. Romania is among five eastern European Union countries along with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia that saw a surge of Ukrainian grain […] Read more

Poland, Hungary, Slovakia to continue own bans on Ukraine grain
European Commission decides not to extend ban
Brussels/Warsaw | Reuters — Poland, Slovakia and Hungary will impose their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports, the governments said on Friday, after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban affecting Ukraine’s five EU neighbours. Restrictions imposed by the European Union in May allowed Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to ban domestic […] Read more

EU ag commissioner pushes for extension of Ukraine grain import ban
Restrictions due to expire Friday
Brussels/Bucharest | Reuters — The EU agriculture commissioner said on Tuesday said he believes the European Commission should extend a temporary ban on Ukraine imports into five neighouring EU states, as the measure helped boost exports outside the bloc. Ukraine has become entirely dependent on alternative European Union routes, called Solidarity Lanes, for its grain […] Read more

EU sets Ukraine grain import restrictions in five countries until June 5
Supports pledged for farmers in those countries
Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said on Tuesday it set restrictions until June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the excess supply of these grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The EU executive arm said that during that period, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and […] Read more

Deal reached to resume Ukraine grain transit with five EU countries
Agreement includes support package for local farmers
Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said Friday it had reached a deal in principle to allow transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five European Union countries that had imposed restrictions. Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia cited concerns that grain from Ukraine meant to be exported to other countries had ended up […] Read more

European Commission to ban Ukrainian grain exports to Romania
Talks ongoing with Ukraine's other neighbours
Bucharest | Reuters — The European Commission will ban Ukrainian grain and oilseeds exports to Romania until June 5, Romanian Agriculture Minister Petre Daea said on Wednesday. Romania has stopped short of enforcing a ban, whereas Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia took unilateral steps to protect local markets from a flow of Ukrainian farm products. […] Read more