In the run-up to the EU summit, the Bavarian farmers’ president Günther Felßner warned of the effects of Ukraine’s rapid EU accession on local agriculture. “We want to help the people affected and absolutely have to support Ukraine,” said Felßner on Wednesday. However, hasty accession could have fatal consequences for agriculture in Bavaria and throughout Europe. Despite the country’s precarious situation, the EU’s accession criteria must be fully met – and that will take years or decades. “There cannot and must be no exceptions to EU accession criteria,” demanded the President of the Bavarian Farmers’ Association.
“Ukraine has around 43 million hectares of agricultural land and some of them are huge farms that operate under completely different conditions than the farms in Bavaria and all of Europe,” Felßner continued. “If Ukraine were to jump into the EU, it would mean the end of rural agriculture in Bavaria and all of Europe. The EU agricultural policy and the Green Deal as central elements of the common policy in euros would be undermined and ineffective.”
Farmers in Poland and Hungary have already protested against imports of agricultural products from Ukraine. “Ukraine is an important partner of the EU, but a fair partnership is needed. What the country needs after a possible end to the war is international support for reconstruction. There is currently no basis for discussions on joining the EU-27.”