Ukrainian honey tariff rate quota
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EU reintroduces tariff rate quota for honey from Ukraine
Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2166 of 20 August 2024 on the introduction and management of tariff-rate quotas for honey resulting from Regulation (EU) 2024/1392 of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade-liberalisation measures supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the Union and Ukraine
Update
Due to high imports of honey from Ukraine since 1 January 2024, the EU has suspended the temporary trade liberalisation measures for honey (zero duty, zero quota) that have applied since 2022. The tariff rate quota that applied to honey before 2022 will be reintroduced until 31 December 2024, and a new quota is set for 1 January to 5 June 2025.
Impacted Products
Honey
What is changing?
The EU has reintroduced the tariff rate quota for honey that was established in 2016 by the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Ukraine.
As imports of honey from Ukraine in 2024 have already exceeded the 6,000 tonne tariff rate quota for honey at zero duty set in the DCFTA, the most-favoured nation (MFN) import tariff (which applies when there is no preferential trade agreement) will apply until the end of 2024 (European Commission 2024).
From 1 January to 5 June 2025, a new tariff rate quota for honey of 18,507.32 tonnes at zero duty will apply.
Why?
In 2022, in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the EU granted Ukraine full trade liberalisation – zero duties and zero quota limitations – on all goods for a temporary period (Regulation 2022/870). In May 2024, the EU decided that these measures should be extended again until 5 June 2025 (Regulation 2024/1392).
However, a safeguard mechanism was introduced that allows the reintroduction of tariff rate quotas where imports of eggs, poultry, sugar, oats, maize, groats, or honey exceed average annual import volumes (reference period 2021 to 2023). This mechanism allowed the EU to respond to higher imports by reintroducing the quotas for the remainder of 2024 and establishing new thresholds (five-twelfths of the reference average import volumes) for the period 1 January to 5 June 2025.
Timeline
The MFN tariff applies to honey from Ukraine from 21 August 2024.
Background
For more information, see Import tariffs and tariff rate quotas explained.
Resources
European Commission (2024) Emergency brake triggered for honey imports from Ukraine, News, 20 August.
Sources
Regulation (EU) 2024/2166 on the introduction and management of tariff-rate quotas for honey