The Minister of Agriculture, Czeslaw Siekierski, wrote in a letter to the EU Trade Commissioner that he is “fundamentally opposed” to the expansion of free trade with Ukraine, reports RMF FM radio, which received the contents of the letter.
According to the minister, the complete liberalization of trade regulations introduced by the European Union after Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had a “counterproductive effect”.
Poland is flooded not only with Ukrainian grain. What did Siekierski write in his letter to the European Union?
As Siekierski emphasizes, the problem of excessive imports concerns not only cereals, but also sugar (it has increased tenfold), poultry meat, eggs, soft fruits (especially frozen raspberries) and apple concentrate.
According to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, it is necessary to negotiate with Ukraine on “gradual, mutual liberalization, which will be followed by the gradual adaptation of Ukrainian agriculture to the standards and laws of the European Union”.
The Tusk government reverses the decision of the PiS government. An end to the embargo protests?
“The minister supported the exclusion of sugar, poultry and eggs from the EU's free trade regulations and the introduction of enhanced safeguards. At the same time, Siekierski announces the return of Poland to the negotiations within the framework of the EU coordination platform, in which Ukraine, the European Commission. And Ukraine's neighboring countries participate,” RMF informs.
The radio station recalls that the PiS government refused to participate in this platform in protest of the European Commission not extending the EU embargo on Ukrainian grain.
According to the publication, Siekierski also expressed his willingness to meet the European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis.
(tags translated)Poland