“The CAP after 2027 must remain strong and adequately funded. It must strengthen the resilience of agriculture to crises and ensure food security,” stressed Minister of Agriculture Stefan Krajewski during the meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

CAP after 2027: more decisions at national level

Poland supports maintaining common CAP rules while increasing the influence of Member States on how CAP instruments are implemented.

“Greater flexibility must not lead to the renationalisation of the CAP. We need common rules, but also the ability to tailor support to national conditions,” said Stefan Krajewski.

During the discussions, Poland also highlighted the need to strengthen support for investment, processing, and the position of farmers in the supply chain. It emphasised that without stronger processing capacity, it is more difficult to stabilise markets and farm incomes.

“Support must include not only payments, but also advisory services, technologies, and investments. This is a prerequisite for maintaining production and developing rural areas,” the minister noted.

Cost pressures and strained markets

The current difficult market situation in many Member States was also discussed.

“Prices of fertilizers and fuel have increased significantly, while purchase prices for many products remain low. This directly affects the profitability of production,” the minister pointed out.

Poland drew attention to the particularly difficult situation on the potato market, as well as problems in the cereals, dairy, and sugar sectors. Production surpluses combined with limited demand mean that some raw materials remain unsold.

“Specific support instruments are needed to stabilise the situation and limit losses on the farmers’ side,” added Stefan Krajewski.

Member States expect the European Commission to present an action plan on fertilizers in the near future.

Simpler regulations instead of new obligations

During the meeting, Poland supported the direction of simplifying regulations for farmers, while also pointing to the risk of imposing new administrative obligations.

“Simplifications are necessary, but they must not result in new obligations for farmers. The system must be proportionate and workable in practice,” the minister emphasised.

Poland supports, among other things, limiting the scope of data required in electronic records of plant protection treatments and allowing smaller farms to be exempt from this obligation.  It also points to the need for further simplifications in environmental regulations affecting farm operations.

Mercosur and protection of the EU market

During the discussions, Poland once again raised the issue of the impact of the EU–Mercosur agreement on EU agriculture.

“We are filing a complaint with the CJEU. In our view, the European Commission has gone beyond the negotiating mandate granted by the Council with regard to the procedure concerning the Mercosur agreement,” stressed Stefan Krajewski.

Poland emphasises the need to ensure a level playing field and to protect the market against the inflow of products produced under different standards.

“Production in Mercosur countries takes place under different conditions. Therefore, we need mirror clauses and protection for sensitive products,” the minister noted.

Bilateral talks and regional cooperation

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister met with his Czech counterpart, Minister of Agriculture Martin Šebestyán. The discussions covered, among other things, the future of the CAP, the budget, and regional cooperation.

“We want to strengthen cooperation in the region and jointly advocate for solutions beneficial to farmers across the Union,” emphasised Minister Stefan Krajewski.

The minister also participated in a meeting of agriculture ministers of the European People’s Party, where discussions included rising production costs and directions for changes in agricultural policy.