Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia Block Ukrainian Agri-Imports Despite EU Agreement
Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia maintain unilateral bans on Ukrainian agricultural imports, violating the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement. The EU is engaging with these nations, urging them to lift the restrictions, which are likely politically motivated.
Three EU countries – Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – maintain unilateral bans on imports of certain agricultural products from Ukraine. This contradicts the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) Agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
A high-ranking EU official noted that the reasons for the blockade are likely political, as the DCFTA includes safeguard provisions for local agricultural producers. The EU continues dialogue with these states to encourage them to abandon unilateral bans and transition to regulation based on the DCFTA.
Previously, Romania and Bulgaria also had unilateral bans but have since moved to an import licensing system in agreement with Ukraine. On May 26, the European Commission urged Hungary and other countries to lift their unilateral measures, and the EU had already demanded the lifting of restrictions on agricultural exports from Ukraine in October 2025.