CAP Strategic Plans 2023–2027 – Poland’s position

The European Commission (EC) presented the status of work to analyse the Strategic Plans submitted by Member States. It follows from a preliminary assessment of the plans  submitted that all of them contain the required elements. The EC informed that in March 2020 it planned to send to Member States its letters with comments on the Strategic Plans. These comments will also be published in their entirety on the website of the EC.

Presenting Poland’s position, Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk called on the EC to communicate as soon as possible its official comments on the draft plan.

“The Strategic Plans need to be approved as soon as possible. The assessment of the Plans should be carried out on the basis of the legal obligations resulting exclusively from the regulations in effect, without overinterpretation of their provisions and without establishing new requirements which are not based on underlying acts,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk called on the Commission to take into account  the initial situation and circumstances of Member States as regards their capacity to engage in the implementation of high ambitions of the European Green Deal and the associated strategies. This is particularly important in the time of the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.

“The Strategic Plans should not contain conditionalities related to mandatory requirements which will force farmers to exclude their land from production. At present, it is crucial to ensure food security in Ukraine, in the EU and for war refugees from Ukraine,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Strategic Plans – Member States’ opinions

In the course of the discussion, Member States stressed that the assessment of the plans should exclusively be based on the provisions of the law in effect and ensure transparency and equal treatment. Moreover, it needs to be quick enough so as to enable the preparation of the national legislation, the alignment of IT systems and the implementation of relevant information campaigns for farmers and other beneficiaries before the date when the Strategic Plans come into effect. Farmers must have relevant information before they take production decisions.

Suggestions were also voiced that for at least a year derogations should be allowed from the achievement of the objectives of the Farm to Fork Strategy, in light of the deepening crisis and so as to give priority to food security.

The situation on the agricultural markets in the time of the war in Ukraine

The Ministers discussed the situation on the agricultural markets, particularly, after the invasion of Ukraine. They listened to a statement from Mr. Roman Leshchenko, Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine, who informed them of the challenges related to agricultural production in the time of ongoing hostilities of the war.

The EC presented information on the current market situation, pointing out the threats to food security in the world, particularly, in the countries of Northern Africa and Middle East, which also involved geopolitical challenges. It stressed that the EU was not at risk of food shortages. The harvest forecasts are good and cereal prices are high, so the EC expects that farmers will try to achieve as high yields as possible despite high production costs. It is also important to ensure affordable food for consumers.

The EC reminded that on 23 March it would present a communication on food security, which would be accompanied by a package of short-term measures. It will include the launch of subsidies to the private pork storage, an instrument under Article 219 of Regulation 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and a derogation from certain greening obligations, intended to increase primarily the production of protein plants. The EC is also ready to authorise from 16 October the disbursement of advance tranches of direct payments and rural development measures.

Poland’s position on food security

Presenting Poland’s position, Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk stressed that the Russian attack against Ukraine was a real threat to food security and the stability of supply chains. Ukraine now needs direct food aid and support for maintaining the continuity of agricultural production in the successive economic years.

In order to strengthen food security and to stabilise the market situation in the EU, urgent measures need to be taken to increase the freedom of agricultural activity. Therefore, Poland supports the proposal presented by the EC concerning the use of the land set aside for greening purposes for grazing or production, including the cultivation of high-protein plants, with a simultaneous derogation from the prohibition of the application of plant protection  products.

The war in Ukraine has aggravated the problems which we have already seen for a long time in Poland on the pig and apple markets.

“The Belarusian embargo on imports from the EU has hurt apple producers, causing excessive supply and low prices. For this reason we apply for the application of the mechanism for withdrawal from the market, consisting, among others, in using dessert apples for industrial purposes. This mechanism should also cover producers who are not associated in organisations, analogously to the case of the Russian embargo,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out, too, that the assistance should also be provided to small farms which face the highest risk of cessation of their production as a result of the crisis.

The agricultural markets and the armed conflict – Member States’ opinions

In the discussion, Member States expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and their willingness to assist it. They also pointed out the importance of ensuring food security for the EU and Ukraine, but also in its global dimension. A number of delegations stressed the importance of maintaining the operation of the common market and open international trade. They highlighted the problems of the availability and prices of feedstuffs and fertilisers. They stressed the particularly difficult situation of the animal production sectors, especially those of pork and poultry. Member States generally supported the assistance package announced by the EC.

A proposal for a Regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products – Poland’s motion

This topic was tabled for consideration at the meeting on Poland’s initiative, together with 11 Member States, i.e. Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Presenting the motion, Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk expressed concern about informal information regarding a proposal for a new Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council  on the sustainable use of plant protection products in the EU. We are concerned about the proposed manner of the transposition of the reduction targets for plant protection products into the EU legislation. This is about a 50% limitation of the use of plant protection products and the related risk, which would be binding for both the European Union and Member States. Thus, the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal would become legally binding, although scientific assessments have not confirmed the feasibility of their implementation.

“The drastic limitation of the use of plant protection products can make it impossible to ensure appropriate plant protection and, hence, the maintenance of agricultural  production, posing a threat to the food security of the European Union and worsening the competitiveness of the EU agriculture. Insufficient consideration of the differences among Member States would also distort the competition on the common market,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

The opinions of the Commission and Member States regarding Poland’s motion

Referring to the motion, the EC stated that it could not comment on a still informal proposal for a legislative act, but took note of the concerns of Member States and a large change in the realities as a result of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. At the same time, it stressed the need for the implementation of the ambitious targets of the Farm to Fork Strategy. It announced that the legislative proposal would be presented with delay but did not specify the new date.

The delegations thanked Poland for its initiative and most of them supported the concerns and postulates contained in its communication.