Brussels: The European Union is aiming to finalize an agreement with Ukraine on tariff liberalization by June 5, in an effort to ensure a "seamless transition" and avoid reverting to a duty-free regime. The Financial Times newspaper reported the development, quoting European Commission spokesman Olof Gill.

According to Namibia Press Agency, there are concerns that without an agreement, Ukraine might face steep tariffs on its exports. An EU official mentioned that they are working on a "legal bridge" should the agreement not be concluded by the specified deadline.

The European Commission has decided to delay discussions on tariff liberalization until after Poland's presidential election on May 18, to avoid agitating Polish farmers, as reported by two EU diplomats to the newspaper.

In 2022, the EU had introduced a duty-free import regime for Ukrainian goods. However, due to uncontrolled imports of Ukrainian agricultural products and resultant market issues in EU countries, particularly those bordering Ukraine, the European Commission imposed import limits on seven particularly sensitive goods, including eggs, poultry meat, sugar, oats, corn, cereals, and honey.