General objectives of the future Common Agricultural Policy

During the meeting, the Ministers had an opportunity to exchange their views before the upcoming session of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) to be held on 26-27 October 2026. During this session, the Council is to adopt a general approach to the draft Regulation establishing the framework for EU support under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Minister Krajewski reminded the most important demands of Poland with respect to the reform of the EU agricultural policy, among others, the obligation to apply the definition of an active farmer, further administrative simplification and increasing aid for agricultural producer organisations.

– We want CAP funds to go, first of all, to farmers who actually pursue agricultural activities, manage farms and bear the associated economic risks. The future CAP should also reduce the administrative burdens and effectively support the development of farms – emphasised Minister Krajewski.

He also announced that Poland supported the French proposal to simplify the rules for verifying whether land remained at the farmer’s disposal. The solution is based on a presumption that the farmer holds the declared land at their disposal. At the same time, Poland points to the need to refine this legislation so that the new solution actually reduces the administrative burdens.

Adequate financing of the CAP

Poland has consistently advocated an ambitious EU budget within the Multiannual Financial Framework for the years 2028–2034 and an appropriate level of funds allocated to the CAP.

– We are concerned about the proposal of the Irish Presidency to limit the financing of the new agricultural reserve, particularly in the face of growing climate threats and instability of agricultural markets – said the Head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture. He also indicated the need to ensure a level playing field between farmers in the Member States. To this end, the future legislation should set a ceiling for national co-financing of CAP interventions.

EU-Mercosur Agreement

An important subject raised during the meeting was the situation related to the application of the trade agreement with the Mercosur countries and, above all, its potential consequences for European agriculture.

Poland stressed the need for continuous monitoring of the import of agricultural products from the Mercosur countries, in particular, in sensitive sectors such as the production of beef and poultry.

– We need to carefully analyse the impact of the import from third countries on the situation of European producers. It is particularly important to monitor sensitive products and provide an opportunity for a quick response in the event of market disruptions. Attention should also be paid to the problem of the accumulation of trade preferences granted by the EU to subsequent third countries. In our opinion, in this case we need a comprehensive analysis of these preferences for production, consumption and trade in particular sectors of EU agriculture – noted the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Polish-French cooperation

Minister Krajewski stressed the importance of Polish-French cooperation not only in the field of the future of European agriculture but also in the area of trade in agri-food products.

– France is our second economic partner in terms of the value of Polish export. In 2025, the value of export of our agri-food products to the French market exceeded EUR 4 billion while the value of import from France – EUR 1.3 billion – reiterated the head of the Polish delegation.

The Head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture also expressed his belief that Poland and France would continue to bring their positions closer on the most important issues related to agriculture, also thanks to the cooperation of experts from both countries within the Polish-French Joint Agricultural Committee.