Negative market effects of the inflow of food products from Ukraine to the EU

Minister Czesław Siekierski’s conversation with the EU Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis was a continuation of the online conversation of 15 January 2024. The Minister was accompanied by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Bogusław Wijatyk.

The issue being discussed was trade in agri-food products with Ukraine. The head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture emphasised that this topic was very important for farmers throughout the European Union, particularly in Poland and in other EU countries bordering on Ukraine.

– Recently, also the biggest European agricultural organisations have expressed concern about the increasing import from Ukraine and its negative market effects – said Minister Siekierski.

The head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture stressed that Poland, together with Ukraine and with the support of the European Commission, wanted to work out instruments that would allow to protect the domestic agri-food sector against an excessive inflow of food products from Ukraine.

Minister Czesław Siekierski presented to the Commissioner his position on the planned extension of autonomous trade measures for Ukraine. He stressed that the introduction of safeguard measures in response to regional difficulties and market distortion should be agreed between the European Commission and the Member States affected by this distortion.

In particular, he pointed to the most important elements of our position, inter alia, such as the regional approach to the introduction of the safeguard clause, the simplification and acceleration of the procedure for introducing safeguard measures, ensuring the possibility of introducing safeguard measures also in cases where the import from Ukraine causes problems only in the individual EU Member States or regions.

– Particularly quick action is necessary in relation to sectors already affected by serious distortions – stressed the Polish Minister of Agriculture.

Position of Polish agricultural organisations on the international arena

Minister Czesław Siekierski talked with representatives of Copa-Cogeca about the participation of Polish agricultural organisations in transnational organisations representing their interests toward the European Union. The meeting was attended by, inter alia, the President of Copa-Cogeca Christiane Lambert and the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Bogusław Wijatyk.

The main subject of the discussion was the situation in the EU agricultural market , particularly in the context of the Ukrainian import to the EU and third countries.

– I appreciate the actions of your organisations, which tirelessly defend the interests of European farmers. Europe will not be strong without a strong European agricultural sector. For Poland, the most important problem is currently the excessive import of agricultural products from Ukraine, which flooded the market and caused significant distortion in it – emphasised the head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture.