Livestock strategy and protein plan

The European Commission presented the EU Livestock Strategy and the Protein Action Plan. During the debate, Poland stressed the importance of livestock production for food security, rural development and the resilience of European agriculture. Deputy Minister Adam Nowak emphasised that the livestock strategy and the protein action plan on proteins should complement each other so as to support the competitiveness of the EU sector.

– Livestock production remains one of the pillars of food security in Europe and the development of the agricultural sector. Further expensive obligations imposed on farmers must not be the answer to the challenges faced by modern agriculture. A priority should be to increase the profitability and competitiveness of production in the European Union. Any further change requiring expensive adjustment may lead to a situation where more and more farmers withdraw from livestock production. That is why Poland is against, among others, the declared withdrawal of cage rearing of laying hens – highlighted Undersecretary of State Adam Nowak.

The representative of the Polish delegation also pointed to the need to provide adequate financial resources to achieve the objectives of the strategy and to ensure a level playing field for farmers in international trade.

With regard to the protein plan, Deputy Minister Nowak indicated the need to further strengthen the European Union’s independence from imported protein sources.

– Reducing dependence on imported protein sources is one of the key elements of building the EU’s strategic autonomy. We need more support for the production of protein crops, processing and development of the EU protein feed market – said Undersecretary of State Adam Nowak.

Trade in agricultural products

Again, Poland appealed for more effective monitoring of import of sensitive products, particularly from the Mercosur countries and the USA, and for the European Commission’s rapid response to market distortions. Deputy Minister Nowak stressed that all trade agreements should contain bilateral safeguard clauses for agricultural goods, which would not be restricted by transitional periods.

Poland also maintained the demand for the EC to prepare a comprehensive analysis of the cumulative effect of trade preferences granted to third countries on the situation of EU agricultural markets.

At the same time, a need to increase the recognition of EU geographical indications and to strengthen their protection in third countries was indicated.

Women in agriculture

One of the topics of sessions was also the role of women in agriculture. Poland endorsed the efforts aimed at increasing the visibility of the real contribution of women to managing farms and at creating conditions allowing them to fully tap their potential.

– Women play a key role in the functioning of farms – they co-manage farms, make strategic decisions, manage finances and develop entrepreneurship in rural areas. We should create the conditions in which women can fully tap their potential. It is worth stressing that we implement support for women, among others, within the framework of the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy for the years 2023–27 – reiterated the Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

Any other business

Poland, along with the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain endorsed Italy’s proposal regarding a draft Annual Work Programme for 2027 for the EU’s promotion policy concerning agri-food products. Poland also expressed concern about the proposed reduction in the promotion budget, which, in the context of growing competition, could undermine the attractiveness of European producers when new trade agreements entered into force.

Meeting of the Visegrad Group

On the sidelines of the AGRIFISH Council’s session, a coordination meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture from the Visegrad Group countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) was also held. The meeting was chaired by Slovakia, which took over the Group’s annual presidency on 1 July 2026. The talks concerned, among others, coordination of positions in the EU forum, particularly in the field of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027 and response to market crises caused by the excessive import from third countries. Poland declared its readiness to continue close cooperation with the partners from the region.