The Polish Minister of Agriculture comments on EU Green Deal policies and their impact on farmers
The European Commission has enforced Green Deal requirements that Poland’s Minister of Agriculture, Czesław Siekierski, characterizes as excessive and costly. He argued at a Brussels press conference that these measures, though aimed at protecting the environment and tackling climate change, have contributed to the financial strain and even the bankruptcy of some farming enterprises.
He did not dismiss the goal of climate protection. Instead, he urged a different route and called for a verification of the EC’s plans to ensure they align with real-world agricultural conditions in member states.
Siekierski, speaking after a gathering of EU agriculture ministers, outlined a strategy to reconcile climate objectives with the practical needs of farmers.
To address the expectations of Polish farmers, he sought an exemption from set-aside rules and advocated for abandoning set-aside as a fixed requirement in 2024. He proposed replacing it with a voluntary eco-regulation system, enabling farmers to participate in eco-friendly practices and receive payments for legitimate environmental efforts.
He also called for simplifications related to crop rotation and administrative rules. The aim was to avoid penalizing genuine mistakes that could lead to overspending the EU budget on subsidies, and to allow farmers to provide straightforward statements, rather than photographs, proving that certain activities were carried out correctly.
Farmers should not need directives from Brussels on every detail, Siekierski insisted. He stressed that farmers know how to manage crop rotation and animal welfare and that Brussels should respect their practical expertise rather than imposing rigid rules that are difficult to implement.
The minister also pointed to the broader issue of open imports from outside the European Union. He noted that the influx of agricultural products from Ukraine has diminished profitability for Polish producers and is affecting farmers in other EU countries as well.
Specific trade rules should be considered for trade with Ukraine, especially with Poland in mind. He highlighted the need to distinguish humanitarian aid and military support from economic conditions and market exchanges, which should be governed by market-based, rational principles.
Siekierski argued that financial support for farmers remains essential because they have absorbed costs associated with the Green Deal and have welcomed imports from outside the EU through no fault of their own.
The EU cannot ignore the realities faced by farmers, he warned, and attention must be given to the ongoing challenges. He drew attention to another critical issue: large grain stocks within the European Union.
By late June, EU grain stocks were projected to reach about 28 million tons, with roughly 9 million tons in Poland. With annual production around 35 to 36 million tons, a sizable reserve could translate into approximately a quarter of Europe’s grain in storage. This stockpile requires practical measures to move or store grain efficiently, including creating available storage capacity and wholesale channels. The question remains: how best to manage this surplus? The EU should consider supporting the sale of European and partially Ukrainian grain through mechanisms such as transport subsidies or distributing supplies as humanitarian aid to needy regions globally.
These proposals reflect a belief that targeted, actionable support can balance climate policy with the survival and competitiveness of European farms, while maintaining fair competition within the single market.
[Source attribution: Polish Minister of Agriculture statements reported by wPolityce]