EU Introduces Interim Trade Mechanism for Ukraine as Long-Term Deal Undergoes Overhaul

The European Commission has adopted a transitional trade framework to maintain preferential access for Ukrainian exports to the EU, replacing the expiring Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs) with a temporary implementing act set to take effect on June 6.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to European Pravda.

This stopgap measure comes as Brussels and Kyiv continue complex negotiations to revise and modernize their Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), in place since 2016. The decision was confirmed during a special intergovernmental committee meeting, with EU officials emphasizing the need to prevent trade disruptions while long-term solutions are finalized.

“Today, the relevant committee approved an implementing act that will come into force on June 6,” said Balázs Ujvári, spokesperson for the European Commission on economy, budget, and agriculture. “This transitional arrangement ensures continuity as we work with Ukraine to update the DCFTA and reflect current economic and geopolitical realities.”

Initially introduced in 2022 as an emergency response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the ATMs suspended import duties and quotas, providing Ukrainian businesses with critical lifelines into the European market. Though renewed twice, the ATMs will not be extended this year following a decision by EU member states.

Instead, the EU is pivoting toward structural reform. According to Ujvári, the current focus is on building a more resilient and future-proof trade relationship. “Our priority now is to revise the DCFTA, making it more robust, more modern, and better tailored to Ukraine’s evolving status and needs,” he noted.

The move underscores the EU’s long-term commitment to Ukraine’s economic integration, especially as the country advances on its path toward full EU membership. While the new implementing act is designed as a short-term instrument, it reflects a deeper strategic shift away from temporary relief and toward durable, treaty-based cooperation.

As The Gaze reported earlier, European leaders are ramping up pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the Russian-Ukrainian war by considering a full trade embargo after his absence from direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Turkey.