EU to restore import customs duties on cereals

EU to restore import customs duties on cereals

BRUSSELS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) will reintroduce customs duties on cereals imports as a reaction to the price decrease on the market, the European Commission said on Friday.

A statement from the office of Mariann Fischer Boel, EU commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said a decision would be formally adopted by the commission in the coming days.

But cereals which are already en route into the EU can enjoy duty free.

In order to promote the supply of cereals when the prices hit record levels in Europe last year, the commission decided to temporarily suspend customs duties on imports of most cereals for the 2008/2009 marketing year until June 30, 2009.

The commission said the reintroduction of customs duties on cereals was due to the fact that prices have fallen back.