The Commission said the tariffs were also designed to limit
Russia's ability to fund its war in Ukraine and to curb its sales of grain
stolen from Ukraine.
The EU has expressly avoided imposing sanctions of Russian
agricultural produce so as not to disturb global supplies. The Commission said
that, with tariffs, transit of grain through the bloc to other countries would
still be allowed as would financing, insurance, storage and transport of such
shipments.
Traders said earlier this week that Russian and Belarusian
shipments to the bloc are low, certainly relative to those from Ukraine, and
that the imposition of tariffs was largely symbolic.
Russia exported 4.2 million metric tons of cereals, oilseeds
and derived products to the EU in 2023, worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion).
A Commission official said this represented about 1% of the EU market.
However, the Commission said there was a risk imports could
increase, given Russian overall wheat exports had risen to 50 million tons from
the usual 35 million tons.
The tariffs will be 95 euros ($102.76) per ton for cereals
and 50% for oilseeds. They can be applied after approval from EU governments,
which are likely to give assent within a few weeks.
The proposal came as European Union leaders debated the EU
response to farmer complaints over environmental rules and the suspension of
tariffs on agricultural imports from Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The latter has caused ructions in the bloc. Both France and Poland have criticised a Provisional deal reached on Wednesday to extend tariff-free access for a further year with new curbs on some food products.
There is broader agreement on keeping out measures targeting
Russia and Belarus.
On Wednesday, agriculture ministers of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland wrote to the Commission urging it to act
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