Following a meeting in Brussels with EU agriculture ministers and commissioners, Polish Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski said the bloc is now considering triggering a safeguard mechanism if prices of sensitive EU agricultural products fall by 5%, rather than the previously proposed 8%.
Krajewski said Poland and France remain opposed to the deal, while Italy’s position is still unclear. Hungary has also signaled opposition, according to Deputy Agriculture Minister Adam Nowak. A blocking minority in the EU requires at least four member states representing 35% of the EU population.
“We want to block this agreement — that’s been our government’s position from the beginning,” Krajewski said. “But given the difficulty in building a blocking minority, we’re working to secure the best possible protections for farmers.”
The proposed safeguard clause would apply to products such as beef, poultry, dairy, sugar, and ethanol. If prices fall below the threshold, the EU could suspend trade benefits for imports from Mercosur countries.
Krajewski noted that the original threshold was set at 10%, later reduced to 5% by the European Parliament, then raised to 8%. “The latest information suggests it will return to 5%,” he said, crediting efforts by Polish MEPs Krzysztof Hetman and Dariusz Joński.
The final decision on the trade deal could come as early as Friday at a meeting of EU ambassadors, though Krajewski warned it may be postponed again due to ongoing uncertainty among member states.
The ministers also discussed the future of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy in light of proposals by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who supports concluding the Mercosur deal swiftly. She has proposed accelerated access to EUR 45 billion in EU funds for farmers starting in 2028 and earmarking 10% of national and regional plan budgets for rural investment.
Krajewski welcomed the initiative but said Poland wants the funds to be separate from cohesion and competitiveness funding.
“It’s good the money could come earlier,” he said, “but we want it ring-fenced.”
(jh)
Source: PAP