EU Parliament Extends 'Trade Visa-Free Regime' for Ukrainian Steel

The European Parliament has extended the so-called ‘trade visa-free regime’ - the suspension of quotas and customs duties - for Ukrainian iron and steel for three years, taking into account that general autonomous trade measures for Ukrainian goods exported to the European Union will expire on 6 June 2025.

This is stated in the text of the European Parliament's legislative resolution ‘Suspension of certain parts of Regulation (EU) 2015/478 on the import of Ukrainian products into the European Union’, approved on 8 May.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to European Pravda.

The European Parliament resolution will extend duty-free imports of steel and iron from Ukraine to the EU until 5 June 2028.

‘The European Commission is currently working on a long-term solution to ensure greater economic transparency in trade relations between the EU and Ukraine,’ the European Parliament's press service said.

‘The Ukrainian steel industry is the backbone of Ukraine's economy. It continues to operate despite the fact that many workers have gone to the frontline and the plants are under fierce attack from Russia,’ said Karin Karlsbrough, MEP from Sweden (Renew group), rapporteur of the European Parliament.

354 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, 147 voted against, and 53 abstained. 

The legislative resolution will come into force after its approval by the EU Council and official publication.

The European Commission does not plan to extend the regime of autonomous trade measures for Ukraine (the so-called ‘trade visa-free regime’), which is in effect until 5 June. However, it is planned to ensure a smooth transition to the new scheme, where all the terms of trade liberalisation will be enshrined in the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement.