Poland strongly opposes expansion of EU duty-free trade with Ukraine - media

He expressed this opinion in a letter to the European Commissioner for Trade, the text of which was obtained by RMF FM.

In his opinion, the full trade liberalization introduced by the European Union after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine had a counterproductive effect.

Siekierski also supported the exclusion of sugar, poultry and eggs from the EU free trade regulations and the establishment of enhanced safeguard provisions.

He believes that it is necessary to start negotiations with Ukraine on gradual mutual liberalization, accompanied by the gradual bringing of Ukrainian agriculture to EU standards and law. After all, the problems with excessive imports concern not only grain crops, but also sugar, poultry meat, eggs, soft fruits (especially frozen raspberries) and apple concentrate.

At the same time, the Polish Minister of Agriculture said in a letter that Poland would return to negotiations within the EU Coordination Platform to find effective and acceptable mechanisms. Ukraine, the European Commission, and Ukraine's neighboring countries are also participating in these talks.

The article reminded that the former Polish government refused to participate in this Platform in protest against the European Commission's failure to extend the EU embargo on Ukrainian grain.

• On April 27, 2023, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade supported the extension of duty-free trade with Ukraine for one year.
• On January 5, Polish European Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski announced that he would demand restrictions on the supply of sugar and poultry meat from Ukraine, threatening not to support the new regulations on the extension of the free trade regime with Ukraine until 2025.