Polish Farmers Call for Action as EU Green Deal Debates Persist

A recent broadcast featured Law and Justice MP Robert Telus insisting that an embargo and twelve agricultural laws were proposed, yet the government has not moved beyond talks. Telus stressed that farmers are pressing for concrete actions and criticized the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for remaining in dialogue mode instead of delivering results. He described the situation as a lack of real action from the laboring ministries and called for tangible steps to support farmers. During a Brussels meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski participated as protests by European farmers unfolded in the background. Tractor blockades and tire fires illustrated the intensity of the demonstrations, which have been seen across multiple EU member states. Police used water cannons and tear gas to manage the crowd, underscoring the broader tensions around agricultural policy within the bloc. Green deal Farmers oppose several new EU regulations that they perceive as driving down prices, raising production costs, and tightening nitrogen emission rules in agriculture. The concept of the Green Deal is central to this debate. It requires a clear definition of the policy aims and how they translate to on the ground practices. In Poland, elements of the Green Deal have been rolled out over time, notably the shortened supply chain from farm to fork. This approach is being implemented in Polish agricultural retail and within local companies, with farmers across Europe expressing concern about the restrictions the European Union intends to impose. The EU promotes the European Green Deal as a catalyst for ecological transformation and climate neutrality by 2050. The policy package spans several domains, including industry, transport, energy, environment, climate, and agriculture, with each sector facing its own set of challenges and opportunities. Reducing CO2 emissions Telus highlighted CO2 reduction targets as a central issue, noting that some views linked to former Prime Minister Donald Tusk advocate a 90 percent cut. He argued that such targets would not merely affect farming but could devastate it. The minister responsible for climate issues recently visited Brussels and reportedly stated an aim to cut CO2 emissions by ninety percent, a line Telus described as harmful to agriculture. He attributed the stance to the current administration, emphasizing that no practical plan has been offered to support farmers. Deputy Climate Minister Urszula Zielińska (KO) presented a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by ninety percent by 2040, a proposal that has sparked significant debate. Telus reminded audiences that farmers are also opposed to setting aside arable land and to measures that curb agricultural overproduction, arguing that food safety is at risk alongside environmental goals. He asserted that the current government has done nothing to improve farming conditions and has offered no viable solutions for seventy days. Embargo on products from Ukraine Telus recalled the farmers’ strike at the Polish-Ukrainian border driven by concerns about the import of lower-quality Ukrainian products. He noted that Ukrainian producers are not bound by the same rules as EU farmers and have historically used pesticides banned in EU member states, creating an uneven playing field. He referenced a policy shift on April 15, 2023 when Poland imposed a ban on certain imports from outside the EU, later narrowing the scope to grains and grain products. He added that subsidies were provided to farmers during the challenging period to help them weather the disruption. No action from Tusk’s government Telus reiterated that an embargo and twelve farm laws were proposed, but the government has not acted. He claimed that critics accused them of wanting to pull Poland out of the European Union because of the debate over the embargo. He argued that the EU is not to be feared, but fears persist regarding continued political talk without concrete results. Farmers, he said, demand specific actions, and the absence of action has become the defining issue. He pointed out that the situation remains unresolved and that supporters of the PiS government view the current administration as failing to respond to farmers’ concerns. The message from Telus was clear: action is needed now, not more discussion. READ ALSO: -ONLY HERE. Kołodziejczak’s scandalous behavior toward farmers. MP Król: I cannot remember such a situation since 1989 -ONLY HERE. Telus: If the EU would listen to what the PiS government and Commissioner Wojciechowski said, such a situation would not arise today -ONLY HERE. Peasant strikes in Europe. MEP Rafalska: They said enough is enough, this is wrong climate policy, these are bad solutions Telewizja wPolsce and wPolityce.pl coverage remains a primary source for the discussion. The topic highlights ongoing tensions over agricultural policy within Poland and its interactions with broader European Union initiatives. Source material for this discussion comes from wPolityce.