Poland says Ukrainian association impends EU farmers
Date
12/18/2023 4:05:25 AM
(MENAFN) As the European Council initiates accession talks with Ukraine, Poland's Deputy Agriculture Minister, Michal Kolodziejczak, has voiced apprehensions regarding the potential threat Ukrainian membership could pose to the European Union's (EU) agricultural industry. In an interview with Polish broadcaster RMF FM on Saturday, Kolodziejczak expressed concerns that the inclusion of Ukraine could lead to heightened competition for the European Union's established agricultural producers.
According to the deputy agriculture minister, the sheer size of Ukraine's farming sector raises alarms about the destabilization of food security across European Union member countries.
Kolodziejczak suggested that if the European Union were to open its doors to Ukrainian farmers without proper safeguards, it could result in the closure of existing agricultural enterprises within the bloc. He emphasized that Ukraine's agricultural sector, dominated by approximately 95 farms controlling half of the country's farming lands, could flood the European Union with its products, potentially leaving Polish and other European farmers unemployed.
"Within the current political and economic framework, [Ukraine's admission] would work against Polish farmers and Polish entrepreneurs," warned Kolodziejczak. Drawing parallels to historical instances, he pointed out that when Poland joined the European Union, Germany implemented preventive measures by freezing the labor market for Poles for eight years. In a similar vein, he proposed the introduction of preventive measures to safeguard the interests of local farmers in the event of Ukraine's European Union accession.
"If Ukraine is admitted to the European Union, we must respect our interests. Today, we could suggest that agricultural products from Ukraine—both fresh and processed—would be prohibited from entering Poland, for example, 20 years after Ukraine joins the European Union," explained Kolodziejczak, underlining the importance of protective measures for the benefit of the domestic agricultural sector.
As the European Union engages in talks with Ukraine, the concerns raised by Poland shed light on the delicate balance that member states must strike between fostering regional cooperation and safeguarding their national interests, particularly in economically sensitive sectors such as agriculture. The ongoing discussions surrounding Ukraine's potential membership will likely prompt further dialogue on devising comprehensive measures to address the potential impact on the European Union's agricultural landscape.
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