The European Union will extend the agreement on duty-free trade with Ukraine for the last time

In 2025, the European Union will not extend the agreement on duty-free trade with Ukraine, as reported by the Polish publication RMF FM, citing sources in Brussels.

According to their information, this year the agreement will be extended for the third time, until June 2025. After that, Ukraine and the EU will revert to the terms of the Association Agreement, which entails a gradual mutual opening of markets rather than unilateral measures. “What was temporary cannot be extended indefinitely,” say the sources.

The decision, reportedly, comes after a wave of protests by farmers and criticism from countries such as Poland and France. The publication writes that “there is a compelling argument that Ukrainian oligarchs largely benefit from the opening of the EU market in agriculture.” Moving forward, Ukraine will gradually adapt to EU standards, rules, and procedures.