The European Commission will propose extending temporary trade liberalization and other trade preferences for certain Ukrainian goods for another year, until June 2025. However, the new Polish government opposes such a decision. Poland's position on this issue will not have a critical impact on the decision-making, since it is accepted by the majority of EU countries, writes the Financial Times, reports Business Censor.
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However, this suggests that new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk maintains the protectionist position of the previous government, which contradicts his promises to return Poland to EU policymaking after years of confrontation with Brussels.
It also points to the difficult search for a balance between the pro-European agenda of the new Polish government and the interests of farmers and transporters who want to maintain the import ban and block the country's border crossings with Ukraine.
Tusk is expected to visit Kiev in the coming days, trying to ease tensions in bilateral relations.
Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak warned over the weekend that the Tusk government does not agree with the extension of preferential trade terms for Ukraine with the EU because it is a “threat” to Polish farmers.
According to the publication, taking into account the position of Poland, the European Commission is considering the possibility, along with the continuation of trade preferences for Ukraine, to provide for more stringent conditions for their suspension.