Marine Le Pen said that France would be the first country to suffer if Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union. According to the French politician, the consequences will be most serious for agriculture.
Le Pen gave two reasons for her position. According to her, Ukrainian production will lead to “strong unfair competition“, and the share of the Common Agricultural Policy budget that goes to French producers will be significantly reduced.
EU discusses special rules for Ukrainian agriculture
The topic was raised after the European Commission presented proposals to prepare the union for future enlargement. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Koss said that targeted arrangements for sensitive agricultural products could be considered for Ukraine.
The Commission justified the proposal with the scale, structure and high productivity of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. The presented framework also provides for support for restoring Ukraine's access to traditional markets outside the EU.
Marta Koss clarified that any restrictions have not been finally agreed. They should be discussed with member states and relate to sensitive products, not the entire Ukrainian agricultural sector.
The Ukrainian government has already said that it cannot accept a membership model that provides for permanent restrictions on the sale of certain foods on the European market. Deputy Prime Minister Vsevolod Chentsov said that Kiev sees the full integration of the agricultural sector into the single market as a starting point. According to him, transitional measures must be justified, proportionate and limited in time.
The European Commission plans to present its enlargement package at the end of October. The assessment of Ukrainian agriculture will also be taken into account when discussing the opening of Cluster 5 of the negotiations, which covers resources, agriculture and cohesion policy.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, eurointegration.com.ua