Import from Ukraine: EU Commission announces successful negotiations with Polish ministers
Polish ministers met with EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis (twitter.com/MRiRW_GOV_PL)
The European Commission has announced the successful conduct of discussions today, January 15, with the Polish Ministers of Agriculture and Development and Technology, Czeslaw Siekierski and Krzysztof Hetman, regarding the extension of the free trade zone with Ukraine, according to the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, and the Polish media outlet RMF FM.
"Useful meeting with Polish Ministers Czeslaw Siekierski and Krzysztof Hetman on EU support to Ukraine, including trade measures," the statement reads.
According to the EU Commissioner, the Commission will continue to support the Ukrainian economy, while keeping in mind "the concerns of Polish farmers in relation to Ukrainian agri-food."
As stated by the EU spokesperson, during today's meeting, both parties agreed to continue "constructive cooperation and exchange information on the development of the market situation, including in the context of the future EC proposal for the expansion of duty-free trade with Ukraine."
The EU representative, in conversation with Polish journalists, also mentioned that the ongoing "constructive negotiations" could mean the possibility of improving the current resolution on expanding duty-free trade with Ukraine to make it "more advantageous for Polish farmers."
The final decision of the EU is expected to be made no later than the planned deadline, which is January 24. Further negotiations are scheduled within the EU, and next week - on January 23 - at the request of Warsaw, discussions are also planned at the meeting of EU agriculture ministers.
According to the information from the Polish radio station RMF FM, Poland's concerns have already reached the office of Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, who is meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during the World Economic Forum.
The material notes that the European Commission is counting on an agreement between Poland and Ukraine, for example, by introducing import certificates. A conversation between the Polish Prime Minister Tusk and the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is also planned.
Import issues from Ukraine
Earlier in January, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Poland, Czeslaw Siekierski, stated that the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain into his country would remain in effect until corresponding rules at the EU level are developed.
On January 10, he wrote a letter to the Trade Commissioner, stating that he was "categorically against" the extension of duty-free trade with Ukraine.
Earlier today, it became known that Poland has submitted an application to discuss the extension of duty-free trade with Ukraine at the next meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels in a week.
