Poland in the Netherlands

The future budget of the European Union, Brexit and combating climate change were among the topics to be discussed by President Andrzej Duda and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday.

Commenting on Polish-Dutch economic relations, Andrzej Duda said that the Dutch investments "are enormous" and he hoped that Polish investments in the Netherlands would grow.

"We will certainly discuss our common economic market, issues related to the freedom to provide services and employment, and problems regarding Brexit, which currently concern us all," the president said.

Andrzej Duda said that Wednesday's talks will also concern the EU budget and its funds directed for the Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy, as well as new opportunities for improving the conditions of climate protection, and the issue of quality of goods on the European market.

President Duda also referred to the commemorations at which he, along with the King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, in Breda, on Tuesday, paid homage to General Stanislaw Maczek and his soldiers on the 75th anniversary of the 1944 liberation of the Dutch city of Breda by Polish allied forces. He thanked all Dutch authorities, central and local, for celebrating the military effort of Poles "in such a beautiful way."

Later, Head of the President's Office Krzysztof Szczerski said Andrzej Duda and Mark Rutte spoke of the need for such an approach towards climate transformation that would take into account the economic and social context.

With regard to eastern policy, Andrzej Duda and Mark Rutte discussed how such policy should be pursued towards Russia. "Here, also the Dutch have dramatic experiences," Szczerski noted referring to the downing of a Malaysian passenger plane carrying a large number of Dutch citizens and the ongoing investigation into the tragic case.

Krzysztof Szczerski noted that politicians agreed that the sanctions policy pursued towards Russia should be continued as it "shows our disagreement for Russian steps which infringe international law." The two politicians also discussed bilateral relations and mutual investments.

The President took part in the ceremony of signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Szczecin-Świnoujście Port and the Port of Rotterdam. The memorandum was signed by the President of the Szczecin-Świnoujście Port Board Krzysztof Urbaś and the President of the Port of Rotterdam Allard Castelein. The ceremony was also attended by Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation of the Republic of Poland Anna Moskwa.

Minister Krzysztof Szczerski emphasized that this is the second - after the one with the port of Gdansk - agreement with "the largest center of world maritime trade". - This agreement on mutual investment, support for innovation, expansion, modernization of Polish ports is extremely important to us, because we focus on Polish maritime economy and Polish maritime trade to develop - he said.