Lithuania: customs duties cannot apply to grain transit from Russia and Belarus
Lithuania's agriculture minister said Latvia's planned 300% tariff on Russian and Belarusian grain cannot apply to transit shipments, as this is barred by EU rules. The two countries' prime ministers have already discussed the issue by phone.
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Lithuania's Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Mažeika said on Tuesday that increased customs duties cannot be applied to grain of Russian and Belarusian origin passing through the Baltic states in transit, since this is not permitted under European Union regulations.
The minister's comment came in response to the Latvian government's plans to impose a 300% tariff on grain shipments from Russia and Belarus and on their processing. According to Mažeika, such a tariff could apply to grain intended for consumption or processing in Latvia, but not to cargo merely passing through Baltic territory in transit to other destinations.
A shared regional issue
Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas...
Lithuania's Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said on Tuesday that the transit of Russian and Belarusian grain through the Baltic states is a problem affecting the whole region, not a single country. Sinkevičius said that in a phone call with Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, the two had discussed coordinating their approach to the issue.
The exchange suggests the Baltic states are seeking a joint solution to a situation in which one country wants to restrict the flow of Russian- and Belarusian-origin grain, while EU rules limit what can be done regarding transit cargo bound for other markets.
