“Poland does not agree with the idea put forward by the European Commission that trade liberalisation with Ukraine should be extended under the current conditions”, said Poland’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Michał Kołodziejczak, on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday 13 January.
These comments echo the recent objections of the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, to the extension of the special trade policy towards Ukraine (see EUROPE 13324/10).
For the latter, as for his compatriot, these provisions suspending all import duties on Ukrainian products “endanger Polish farmers”. Despite the change of party leading the country, Donald Tusk’s new government seems to be sticking to the position taken by its right-wing PiS predecessors.
The Tusk government’s Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Czesław Siekierski, and the Minister for Economic Development, Krzysztof Hetman, held a videoconference with the European Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, on Monday 15 January.
At the end of the meeting, the latter said that “the European Commission will continue to support Ukraine’s economy while being mindful of the concerns of Polish farmers in relation to Ukrainian agri-food imports”, in a tweet posted on X.
According to the European Commission, “both parties have agreed to continue their cooperation in a constructive manner and to exchange information on market developments” with a view to extending the tariff exemption.
However, the Commission refuses to comment on the ‘safeguard provisions’, which had been requested by Commissioner Wojciechowski to protect the European agricultural sector (see EUROPE 13324/10).
The Commission’s decision is due to be announced on Tuesday 16 January, but could be delayed to allow for internal discussions. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)