Poland’s Donald Tusk keeps protectionist stance against EU-Ukraine trade deal

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Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk is sustaining the protectionist stance of the earlier authorities and is about to oppose the renewal of an EU free-trade take care of Ukraine.

The European Fee on Tuesday is predicted to suggest extending till June 2025 the suspension of tariffs and import quotas on Ukrainian merchandise in a bid to assist maintain the nation’s economic system afloat whereas it continues to battle in opposition to Russia’s invasion. Poland’s stance won’t have an effect on the end result, as the choice is taken by majority voting.

However Tusk sticking to a coverage launched by the nationalist, Eurosceptic authorities led by the Regulation and Justice (PiS) occasion stands in distinction to his pledge when he took workplace final month to place Poland again on the coronary heart of EU policymaking after years of feuding with Brussels.

It highlights the problem for the Polish premier to strike a stability between his pro-European agenda and the pursuits of farmers and hauliers who wish to preserve import bans and have been blockading the nation’s border crossings with Ukraine since November so as to power the federal government to again their calls for. PiS has additionally launched a major backlash, supported by the nation’s president, to any makes an attempt by Tusk to undo reforms and appointments made by the earlier authorities.

Tusk is making ready to go to Kyiv within the coming days to attempt to ease tensions provoked by the border blockade and to achieve a compromise on the import ban the PiS authorities imposed final spring on Ukrainian grain. He has referred to as on Ukraine to assist defuse tensions with Polish farmers and truck drivers relatively than demand that Poland lifts its import ban.

Poland’s deputy agriculture minister Michał Kołodziejczak warned on the weekend that “there isn’t a consent” from his authorities to the EU renewing preferential commerce circumstances for Ukraine as a result of that’s “a risk” for Polish farmers. “The curiosity of Polish farmers, our meals safety and worthwhile manufacturing are a precedence,” Kołodziejczak mentioned on the social platform X.

The fee is contemplating a more durable safeguard clause that will permit exports to be stopped shortly in the event that they swamped the market in some member states.

Officers say Tusk is searching for the same deal to the one struck with Romania and Bulgaria. They lifted a blockade final yr in return for Ukraine agreeing an export licensing system which restricted the stream into their international locations.

“The majority of the work is within the dialogue between the 2 capitals [Warsaw and Kyiv],” mentioned an EU diplomat.

Since taking workplace, Tusk has additionally shied away from ordering Polish police and border guards to interrupt up the blockade. Echoing farmers, Polish truckers are complaining about cheaper and unregulated competitors from Ukraine below a brief free transport settlement with Brussels agreed 4 months after Russia’s all-out assault on Kyiv in February 2022. 

In line with Polish authorities information, about 90 per cent of vehicles delivering to Poland from Ukraine are Ukrainian, up from 60 per cent earlier than the liberalisation.

Tusk mentioned on Friday that Poland would proceed to present Ukraine full assist in its conflict in opposition to Russia, however he additionally pledged to defend key Polish financial sectors in opposition to unfair competitors.

He referred to as on Kyiv to assist cease “the sport of soiled pursuits” in cross-border commerce, repeating a declare made by PiS that the EU’s assist to Ukraine’s agriculture was a lift for oligarchs who management the sector relatively than small farmers.

“I’ll anticipate the Ukrainian facet to assist us remedy these pathologies in order that our farmers and hauliers don’t have to dam the borders,” he mentioned throughout an interview with Poland’s three fundamental broadcasters.