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Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU granted Ukraine trade facilitations and exceptional instruments offering a high level of unilateral liberalisation in the form of autonomous trade measures. These were renewed in 2023 and 2024 and expired on 6 June 2025.
On 13 October 2025, the Council adopted a decision on the position that the EU will take in the EU-Ukraine Association Committee (in trade configuration) as regards the reduction or elimination of customs duties for a variety of agri-food products, such as dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and meat preparations.
This follows the preliminary agreement on the review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), reached by the European Commission and Ukraine on 30 June 2025 with the aim of establishing a long-term, predictable, and reciprocal trade framework within the broader context of Ukraine's accession process.
The agreed EU position will enhance trade flows between the EU and Ukraine, while ensuring that Ukraine’s market access is contingent on its gradual alignment with EU production standards on animal welfare, pesticides and veterinary medicines.
Furthermore, it takes into account the specific needs of certain EU agricultural sectors by setting up a robust safeguard mechanism that either party can activate in the event of market disruption.
It also ensures that market access for the most sensitive products, such as sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize, and honey, remains more limited and gradual. Full liberalisation will only be considered for certain non-sensitive products such as milk and milk products.
Following adoption of the decision by the Council, the EU-Ukraine Association Committee, meeting in trade configuration, will adopt the decision as part of the review process under Article 29(4) of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. The aim of the review process is to expedite and broaden the scope of customs duty elimination in EU-Ukraine trade.
October 13, 2025/ European Council/ European Union.
https://www.consilium.europa.eu
