Following changes and the European Commission’s withdrawal from the obligation to set aside 4%, the Green Deal has gained acceptance among farmers, according to Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski in a PAP Studio interview on Wednesday.
Minister Siekierski stated that Poland left the earlier order after providing comments and demands that were largely acknowledged by the European Commission, albeit in a basic form. He described the form as limited.
He explained that his proposal in the EU Council of Ministers called for abandoning compulsory fallow for this year. In the future, it could be offered as an eco-scheme—an optional program for farmers who want it and who would be paid for it.
If the EC indeed revoked the set-aside obligation, Siekierski believes farmers would embrace the Green Deal. He noted that many farming practices already align with Green Deal principles.
He added that the EC claims the Polish government already accepted the Green Deal, remarking that the previous government approved it without always consulting farmers or explaining its implications. He described the situation as a demonstration meeting lacking depth about the Green Deal’s specifics, noting that farmers would have a different view if fully informed.
Stopping the Green Deal became a core demand in protests seen for weeks in Poland and other EU nations.
The European Green Deal outlines guidelines to steer Europe toward climate neutrality by 2050. Its aims include expanding ecological farming, reducing emissions, and gradually ending land set-aside. It also envisions halving fertilizer and crop protection use and designating a quarter of land for organic farming.
Conversations with demonstrators
On Thursday, discussions will take place with representatives from various protest groups, with leaders beginning to emerge. Agriculture Minister Siekierski said that talks would include representatives from agricultural organizations, trade unions, and agricultural chambers, and would involve broader participation.
Asked about the Thursday meeting with farmers, Siekierski described it as the start of talks with representatives of individual protest groups. He noted that many groups are independent and that leaders are still being identified.
During Tuesday’s talks, leaders were partly present with the Speaker of the Sejm and other officials. The minister stressed that the representatives at the table should be broadly representative, hence the move to include agricultural organizations, trade unions, and agricultural chambers.
On Tuesday, the Sejm chair, Szymon Hołownia, the vice-chairman Piotr Zgorzelski, and the head of the Sejm Agriculture Committee met with protesting farmers. The protests demanded waivers from Green Deal provisions, borders sealed against agricultural imports from outside the EU, and support for Polish livestock farming. Organizers claimed about 50,000 participants in Warsaw protests.
Siekierski noted that unions helped organize the protests, but most actions were grassroots, creating a new platform for agricultural discussion.
When asked how many protesting farmers the ministry planned to meet on Thursday, the minister projected a group of about 20 to 30 people. He stressed that the process should be purposeful rather than large-scale.
The deputy head of the ministry, Michał Kołodziejczak, was slated to lead the talks, with the main topics being demands to limit the Green Deal, seal the border with Ukraine, and avoid restricting animal production. He also touched on the challenges of fully closing borders, given humanitarian aid and cross-border trade flows that would complicate such a move.
Responding to questions about the likelihood of a total border shutdown for Ukrainian products, the minister suggested that the outcome would depend on talks with the Ukrainian side, acknowledging that some goods might face tighter controls.
Peasant protests in Warsaw highlighted Polish farmers’ demands to abandon Green Deal provisions, seal borders against non-EU agricultural products, and defend the livestock sector. Organizers reported that roughly 50,000 participants took part.
Import of grain from Ukraine
Policymakers emphasized the need for a full legal basis to publish a list of companies importing grain from Ukraine. The aim is to distinguish legally compliant entities from those that imported certain products during the embargo period. Deputy Agriculture Minister Michał Kołodziejczak noted the existence of a list of 570 companies and said disclosure would depend on the specifics of the data and legal allowances. In earlier discussions, the ministry had indicated that the list included companies that bought wheat, corn, and later canola, with ongoing considerations about what could be publicly shared.
When asked whether Polish consumers should be informed whether their purchase is made from domestic grain or Ukrainian grain, the minister affirmed that goods should be marked by raw material origin. He cautioned that revealing company names could affect some firms economically, even if they had complied with applicable laws, and suggested that affected entities might pursue legal remedies when appropriate.
He stressed the need for careful handling of such information, noting that publishing lists must be grounded in a solid legal basis and that exceptions apply for imports made under embargo rules. While some cases could be kept confidential, others might require transparency to protect consumer rights and trust in the market.
As the ministry navigates these issues, the minister asked Deputy Minister Kołodziejczak to proceed prudently, emphasizing the importance of following established rules and resisting rush in rendering judgments or publishing sensitive information. The ministry had previously published a list of Ukraine-importing grain companies in November last year, based on data available to ministry inspections. The list, which spanned dozens of pages, included numerous entries, with some names repeated. Journalists noted that the Supreme Audit Office possessed lists but could not publicly disclose them due to customs secrecy. In response, the ministry indicated it would seek appropriate legal channels to share information while safeguarding legal boundaries.
In summary, the conversation remains focused on balancing farm viability, consumer protection, and EU-wide climate goals as Poland and the broader region navigate the Green Deal during this period of domestic and international dialogue. The discussions continue as stakeholders seek practical paths forward within legal frameworks.
Source: wPolityce