In the coming months, the European Union must mobilise trade policy to protect European exporting companies from unfair competition and trade barriers, says the future Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins its mandate in January, in its priorities for the six months, published on 10 December. This means increasing the number of free trade agreements (FTAs), but also defending European interests in the face of anti-competitive practices.
However, the future Presidency of the EU Council does not mention China in its priorities document. It states only that it “will support actions aimed at reducing economic dependence and coercion against the legitimate interests of the Union”.
On the subject of economic security, too, Poland adopts a generic language and follows the approach of the European Commission (see EUROPE 13335/1), the watchword being the balance between trade openness and protection against risks to the European economy.
While the Polish Presidency’s programme does not dwell on the various trade partners, it does make an exception for transatlantic relations. Maintaining and strengthening dialogue with the United States is the way forward, at a time when the two partners risk falling into new trade conflicts. Warsaw insists on the need for “positive” relations with Washington while “protecting the legitimate economic interests of the Union” in the event of trade tensions.
Trade with Ukraine and Moldavia. Another priority of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council is the upcoming work on trade with Ukraine and Moldova, which it considers to be of particular importance. With liberalisation measures due to expire in June 2025, negotiations on the future trade framework will take place entirely under the Polish Presidency.
Without prejudging the form that this new access to the European market might take, Warsaw insists that the new framework must enable the modernisation of the Ukrainian and Moldovan economies, as well as the harmonisation of their regulatory environment.
To see the priorities: https://aeur.eu/f/ewk
See the draft agendas for Council meetings during the first semester of 2025: https://aeur.eu/f/exi (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)