Agriculture will be among the key topics during Ukraine's negotiations on joining the European Union, said EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos during a briefing in Warsaw, Ukrinform reports.

According to her, the European Commission takes seriously the concerns of citizens and governments of EU member states regarding the possible impact of the Ukrainian agricultural sector on the internal European market. "I am aware of the concerns of citizens and governments of member states, and we take them very seriously," Kos stressed.

The European Commissioner emphasized that the development of Ukrainian agriculture contributes not only to exports to the EU, but also to access the markets of third countries. An important task remains to bring Ukrainian production in line with European standards of quality and product safety.

“As we approach the completion of the accession process, the EU will have tools to protect European farmers,” added Marta Kos. “This will allow us to balance support for Ukrainian producers and protection of the interests of European farmers.”

Earlier, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Taras Vysotsky noted that Ukrainian farmers already comply with many EU standards in the field of food safety and product traceability. The next step will be the integration of Ukraine’s agricultural sector into the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which will open up new opportunities for export development.

Thus, agriculture becomes not only an economic priority, but also an important factor in Ukraine’s successful integration into the European market, which requires a gradual approximation of standards, support for producers and effective regulation.

The implementation of these tasks will allow Ukraine to strengthen the positions of its agricultural sector in the international arena and will provide mutual benefits for both Ukrainian farmers and European consumers.