What happened

The Spanish agricultural association Asaja, together with the lobbying group Copa‑Cogeca, filed a complaint with the European Commission over the 10% export duty that Ukraine introduced in September 2025 on soybeans and rapeseed. Asaja is demanding the immediate repeal of the duty and, if refused, proposes introducing mirror tariffs on imports of Ukrainian oil.

Why Spain is reacting

According to Asaja, the duty creates an “unprecedented” situation of unfair competition: raw materials allegedly remain in Ukraine, are processed at lower prices, and finished oil is exported to the EU at significantly lower rates. Asaja cites figures: imports of Ukrainian oil into the EU rose from 2 million to over 3 million tonnes — about 41% of the total volume. This, they say, puts pressure on Spanish producers and processors, reducing farmers’ profitability and stripping added value from local industry.

"The purpose of the measure is to keep raw materials inside the country so that Ukrainian industry can buy them at artificially depressed prices"

— Asaja, agricultural association (organization's position)

Why Ukraine introduced the duty

The law, which came into force in September 2025, provides for a 10% export charge on soybeans and rapeseed. The official aim is to support farmers, stimulate processing within the country and fill a special fund for agricultural programs. Member of Parliament Dmytro Kiselevskyi, one of the bill's initiators, says the first production season has already confirmed the effect: oil and meal production increased, and exports of processed products rose.

"The very first production season confirmed the law's effectiveness: volumes of processing and exports of processed products increased"

— Dmytro Kiselevskyi, member of parliament and bill lobbyist

Quantitative results cited in Kyiv

According to supporters of the initiative, in the 2025/26 marketing year more than 50% of the rapeseed crop (up to 1.7 million tonnes) and more than 60% of the soybean crop (up to 3 million tonnes) will be directed to processing. This should ensure record oil production: about 720,000 tonnes of rapeseed oil and 600,000 tonnes of soybean oil.

Consequences and risks

The complaint to the European Commission raises several important questions for Ukraine: first, whether there is a political and legal risk that the EU will side with Spanish producers and impose countermeasures. Second — how international tension will affect export flows and the investment attractiveness of processing projects. Third — whether the balance will be preserved between the long-term goal of developing processing in Ukraine and the short-term pressure on farmers' export revenues.

What’s next

The European Commission's decision could determine whether the duty remains a tool to stimulate domestic processing or becomes a source of prolonged trade disputes with partners. Analysts point out that in major trade disputes not only legal arguments matter, but also diplomatic steps — quiet behind-the-scenes agreements that allow losses to be minimized for both sides.

Now the ball is in the European side's court: can a compromise be found that protects Ukraine's processing industry while easing pressure on European farmers? This question affects prices, jobs and investment — and matters to everyone working in Ukraine's agricultural sector.