The Czech Chamber of Food Industry has expressed concern over the EU’s plans to significantly expand duty-free import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural goods. In a press release issued on 15 July, it said that this threatens the Czech sugar industry. According to the Chamber, the quota for duty-free imports of sugar from Ukraine to the EU could be increased from the current 20,070 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes – a fivefold increase. As a result, Czech producers fear a decrease in self-sufficiency and a repeat of the situation with the closure of the factory in Hrušovany nad Jevišovka due to the influx of cheap imported sugar.
The Chamber’s president, Dana Vecerzhova, said: “if quotas continue to be raised, we risk seeing new plant closures and inefficient investments not only in the sugar industry, but also in other strategic sectors.”
The Czech Republic’s declining self-sufficiency creates dependence on imports and devalues investments. Producers are calling on the government to refuse to increase quotas and demand the introduction of restrictive mechanisms (automatic safeguard measures, price thresholds and individual quotas) in negotiations with the European Commission.
Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania supported the Czech position. They signed a Joint Declaration calling on the European Commission to introduce safeguard measures for the most vulnerable EU sectors-sugar, cereals and meat.
In 2024, the Czech Republic imported 27.9 million kg of sugar from Ukraine (out of a total of 81.1 million kg) worth 461 million crowns. This is many times higher than the 2021 level of 3.7 million kg.
Expanding quotas on Ukrainian imports five times – to 100,000 tonnes – could seriously weaken the Czech sugar industry, jeopardising jobs and infrastructure.