The agreement with Mercosur will go to court. Krajewski: Application to the CJEU by the end of the month

The application to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the agreement with the Mercosur countries should be ready by the end of this month, Stefan Krajewski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced on Monday.

In an interview with Radio Zet, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture said that work is underway to prepare an application challenging the trade agreement with the Mercosur countries to the CJEU. Krajewski added that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently consulting other ministries on this issue, including: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Development and Technology and Ministry of Finance.

– I believe that the application will be ready this month – he said. Krajewski also emphasized that the agreement with the Mercosur countries is not an agricultural agreement, and the ambassadors of the European Union countries expressed their consent to signing it.

When asked what the consequences of concluding the agreement would be for Polish agriculture, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that “the ministry will do everything to ensure that agricultural farms do not suffer.” He recalled that farmers are protected by protective clauses, as well as the so-called an emergency brake, enabling the suspension of preferential duties in the event of excessive imports. He pointed out that maintaining a positive balance in food trade and maintaining high agricultural production is to be achieved by gaining new sales markets, including: in Asian countries.

According to Krajewski, Poland will not only import products from South America, but will also export various goods, such as apples and sweets.

The minister assured that all imported food products must meet EU safety standards and their inspection will be selective, in accordance with the regulations.

On Friday, European Union countries agreed to an agreement with Mercosur. The representatives of Poland, France, Ireland, Hungary and Austria voted against it in the EU Council. Belgium abstained. The decisive factor for the outcome was Italy's support of the agreement, and the country's foreign minister, Antonio Thailand, stated that the agreement in its current form was beneficial for Italy. The voting results mean that there was no blocking minority, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will receive the green light to sign the agreement on behalf of the Community in Paraguay, which holds the presidency of the Mercosur bloc.

The reaction to Mercosur are protests, among others. in Italy, France and Warsaw. Polish farmers accuse the government of failing to assemble a minority in the EU to block the conclusion of the agreement.

On Monday, European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said that the EU treaty allows for the trade agreement with Mercosur to enter into force before its approval by the European Parliament. The agreement will be signed on Saturday, before the final EP vote.

However, the approval of the agreement by the chamber is not certain. The EP is also considering potentially referring a complaint against the Mercosur agreement to the Court of Justice of the EU. (PAP)

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