Position of Poland

During his speech, the Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak stressed the close relationship between agriculture and climate. He also pointed to the overarching role of the agricultural sector, namely, ensuring food security.

– This is why building the sector’s resilience to crises is so important – stressed Deputy Minister Czerniak and highlighted that financial support and advice were necessary for that purpose. According to the Deputy Minister, digitalisation, innovation and the transfer of new technologies to practice would play a crucial role.

Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU

The Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak stressed that during the six-month Polish presidency of the Council, our main goal would be to improve the competitiveness of agriculture and the agri-food sector and to increase the resilience to crises.

– This is a key measure both to empower European farmers and stabilise their income as well as to guarantee food security – stressed the deputy head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture.

Bilateral talks between the Secretaries of State of Poland and Germany

The Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak and the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany Silvia Bender continued the talks at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The major topics included the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), also in the context of the EU enlargement to include Ukraine, the transformation of agriculture in the EU, adaptation to climate change and current issues that would be dealt with in the coming months at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Poland’s demands

The Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak stressed that the transformation of agriculture had to be not only fair and low-carbon, but also flexible – it had to take into account the different levels of agricultural development in the EU countries, their individual needs and conditions as well as the economic importance of that sector. One of the key aspects of this transformation is the sustainable agricultural development, which protects the farmers’ interests and supports them in adapting to new requirements.

– The transformation of agriculture in the EU must be gradual, well planned and based on broad public consultations, particularly with farmers – said the Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak.

The Deputy Minister Jacek Czerniak also stressed that Poland supported a result-oriented, strong and flexible Common Agricultural Policy that would ensure the stability of agricultural production, while responding to climate and economic challenges.

– The primary long-term goal of agriculture is to ensure food security. In this regard, the CAP is one of the major elements of the EU security architecture – reminded the Secretary of State.

Readiness for further cooperation

Both parties to the discussion stressed their willingness to develop and intensify cooperation in the field of agriculture and fisheries, particularly, in the context of the challenges currently faced by the agricultural sector.

In addition, the German party declared its readiness to provide constructive support within the framework of the work to be undertaken by the future Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.