Poland has submitted a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which entered into force on May 1, and has asked the court to suspend its application pending a ruling, Polish Radio's Brussels correspondent Beata Płomecka reported.
The Polish Council of Ministers had previously approved the motion to refer the agreement to the Luxembourg-based court. Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski confirmed the move in a conversation with Płomecka at the end of last month.
The trade deal with Latin American nations eliminates tariffs on more than 90 percent of products. Since CJEU proceedings typically take well over a year to conclude, Warsaw argues the agreement should not remain in force in the meantime. A decision on the interim suspension measure is to be issued by the court's Vice-President and is expected relatively quickly.
Poland was among the minority of EU member states that voted against the deal when most approved it. Warsaw's objections are partly procedural — specifically, the separation of the trade portion from the broader political agreement and its temporary application ahead of full ratification by EU member states.
Poland also objects to the absence of so-called mirror clauses, which would require Mercosur farmers to meet the same stringent standards imposed on their European counterparts. The lack of such provisions, Warsaw argues, gives South American agricultural producers an unfair competitive advantage over European farmers.
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Source: Polish Radio