BRUSSELS - The European Commission said on Tuesday it has set restrictions until June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the excess supply of these grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

The European Union executive arm said that during the period, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed can be sold to any country of the 27-nation bloc except the five, which had complained that the cheaper Ukrainian grain was making domestic production unprofitable.

The EU had earlier liberalised all imports from Ukraine to help the country’s efforts to fend off Russia’s invasion.

The five countries became transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be exported through the country’s Black Sea ports because the war.

“The products can continue to circulate in or transit via these five member states by means of a common customs transit procedure or go to a country or territory outside the EU,” the commission said.

With the commission restrictions in place, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia agreed to lift the unilateral bans for entry of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed they had imposed earlier to protect their farmers.

The commission’s measures also include a support package worth €100 million ($$150 million) for local farmers in the most affected five EU countries.

The commission, which is responsible for trade policy in the EU, said it could extend the grain import restrictions beyond June 5 if exceptional conditions continue. REUTERS