Slovakia has initiated discussions on the impact of the new trade agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on farmers in EU member states. At the meeting of agriculture ministers scheduled for September 22-23, Bratislava intends to raise concerns about the negative consequences of trade liberalization with Ukraine for farmers in neighboring countries.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Essence of Slovakia’s Position
The Slovak side emphasizes that it does not demand restrictions on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products; however, it proposes the establishment of a special financial fund to compensate farmers from countries bordering Ukraine for their losses. According to Bratislava, opening the European market to Ukrainian goods leads to losses among local producers, particularly fruit growers, beekeepers, livestock breeders, and the food industry.
“Slovakia expected that the revision of the DCFTA (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) would bring a balanced and mutually beneficial long-term solution that would protect the interests and competitiveness of European farmers. Instead, the draft agreement represents a one-sided concession to Ukrainian exports at the expense of our producers,” states a note from Slovakia prepared for the ministers’ meeting.
Documents prepared for discussion indicate that excessive imports of Ukrainian products threaten the stability of the agricultural sector in neighboring countries. To mitigate this impact, the Slovak authorities propose establishing a special fund to compensate primary producers’ losses, in accordance with the declaration of bordering member states from July 9, 2025.
Updated Ukraine-EU Trade Agreement
The European Commission and Ukraine agreed to update the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement on June 30, 2025. However, for the document to come into effect, it still needs to be approved by the ministers of EU countries. According to Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka, the European Council’s decision regarding the updated agreement is expected by the end of September, and the EU views the progress of negotiations positively.
Under the new agreements, Ukraine will be able to supply more products to the EU than before the full-scale war, but less than during the “trade visa-free regime” that was introduced in 2022 to support Ukrainian farmers.