Poland's current stance on EU-Mercosur trade agreement remains sceptical
Poland's stance regarding the EU trade agreement with Mercosur countries is currently sceptical, according to Minister for European Affairs Adam Szlapka. He highlighted that this scepticism is not unique to Poland and indicates potential challenges ahead of the agreement.
Szlapka noted that several months of legal work are required to finalize the negotiated agreement before it can be discussed among member states. He does not anticipate this process concluding during Poland's presidency.
"The Polish stance today is sceptical about this and this is not just the Polish stance, so there will probably be a number of difficulties ahead of this agreement," he added.
The free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela - suspended) is opposed by, among others, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The ministry has expressed opposition to the agreement, citing concerns over excessive reductions in EU tariffs that could displace Polish agri-food products in the market.
Additionally, unresolved issues regarding the import of agricultural products produced under different conditions and standards remain a concern. The agriculture minister Czeslaw Siekierski emphasized that the current form of the agreement does not ensure food security for Polish consumers or farmers and requires significant compensation for local farmers to compete effectively.
On Friday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed that protecting the agricultural market will be a government priority in negotiations regarding the EU-Mercosur trade deal. The European Commission believes that the negotiated agreement addresses European farmers' concerns, including import restrictions on beef, poultry, and sugar, but scepticism persists in Poland and other member states.
jz/ nl/