A round-table discussion was held in Breda (Netherlands) on practical steps to integrate Ukraine’s agricultural sector with EU standards, particularly regarding the development of the dairy industry, as reported by the EU Integration Committee of Ukrainian Dairy on its LinkedIn page. This is the third annual meeting organised by LTO Nederland in collaboration with the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum, with the support of the governments of the Netherlands and Ukraine and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine.
On the first day of the event, the participants were addressed by Tom Berendsen, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Agricultural sector integration and food security
A joint statement by UNAF and LTO notes that the integration of Ukraine’s agricultural sector into the EU could have a positive long-term impact on the EU’s strategic autonomy in the field of agricultural production, which is essential for food security. This involves boosting the production of goods that are currently under-represented in the EU.
Complementarity in agricultural production
The parties emphasise that Ukrainian and Dutch agri-food production can complement one another, creating the conditions for synergy and enhancing the competitiveness of both countries’ agricultural products on the European and global markets.
Trade in agricultural products during wartime
The participants agreed that, given Russia’s ongoing full-scale aggression against Ukraine, it is important to maintain open but managed trade in agri-food products between Ukraine and the EU. This is critical for the economic resilience of Ukraine’s agricultural sector and the economy as a whole.
LTO Nederland also supports the continuation of aid to Ukrainian farmers and recognises the need for transition periods and exemptions on the path to Ukraine’s EU membership, alongside access to the EU market and the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The dairy sector and institutional changes
Elisabeth Svyatkivska, Secretary of the EU Integration Committee of Ukrainian Dairy, outlined the current state of Ukraine’s agricultural sector, including the dairy industry.
She noted that a number of issues could be addressed more effectively by establishing a cross-sectoral organisation, following the example of the Netherlands and France. According to her, it is precisely the application and adaptation of European experience that will ensure the sustainable development of Ukraine’s dairy sector, and this is the committee’s main focus.
She also thanked Carolien Spaans, Agricultural Counsellor at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ukraine, for her active support of the Ukrainian Dairy Industry Association in the process of European integration.
Source: EU Integration Committee of Ukrainian Dairy, UNAF, LTO Nederland
