EconomyPolitics Poland’s stance could derail EU-Ukraine trade talks. Tuesday, December 3, 2024

According to Politico, Poland provides Ukraine with military aid, takes in refugees, and advocates for its interests in the EU, but it maintains a negative attitude towards Ukrainian agricultural exports, which casts a shadow over upcoming talks to replace temporary trade measures with a long-term agreement.

Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia are ignoring EU orders to open their markets, risking legal action from Brussels. The move underscores Poland’s reluctance to fully comply with EU directives, even under the supposedly pro-European leadership of Donald Tusk. Ahead of Poland’s presidential election, Tusk will have to maintain a firm stance on agricultural issues to attract the attention of farmers and counter the opposition’s criticism.

Upcoming trade talks will focus on renewing tariff-free quotas under the existing EU-Ukraine free trade agreement. It is expected that during the negotiations Ukraine will insist on the maximum trade liberalization that is possible, but Poland will most likely prefer a more restrictive approach over fears of the negative impact of Ukrainian agricultural products on its farmers.