WARSAW - Unilateral action on trade by European Union member states is unacceptable, a European Commission spokesperson said on Sunday after Poland and Hungary announced bans on imports from neighbouring Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector.

"We are aware of Poland and Hungary's announcements regarding the ban on imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "In this context, it is important to underline that trade policy is of EU exclusive competence and, therefore, unilateral actions are not acceptable."

(Reporting by Alan Charlish in Warsaw and Jan Strupczewski in Brussels; Editing by David Goodman)