During the debate, Poland was represented by Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak.

Greater flexibility while maintaining common principles

The ministerial debate focused mainly on proposals for amendments to the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027. Discussions focused on greater flexibility, subsidiarity and simplification of the regulations, while preserving the common objectives of the European Union.

Poland stressed that the future CAP should remain a common EU policy, while giving the Member States greater opportunities to adapt their support instruments to national and regional circumstances. Poland also pointed to the need to reduce administrative burdens and to create solutions simple to be implemented for both farmers and administration.

– We need a common agricultural policy that will retain its European nature but, at the same time, will be simpler and more flexible. The Member States should have a greater opportunity to adapt their support instruments to the needs of their farmers, while maintaining common objectives and principles of the functioning of the single market – said Deputy Minister Jacek Czerniak.

Poland also indicated the importance of support for young farmers and solutions facilitating generational renewal and transfer of farms.

Work on further amendments to the regulations

The Presidency presented to the Ministers the progress of work on legislative proposals regarding agriculture. Among others, it informed about having reached an agreement with the European Parliament on the new regulation concerning plant reproductive material. The new regulations are intended to simplify existing regulations, reduce administrative burdens and facilitate the marketing of varieties better adapted to climate challenges.

The Ministers also learnt about the progress of work on the amendments concerning the common organisation of agricultural markets, the rules for implementing CAP support, the EU school scheme and organic farming.

 

Farmers empowered in the supply chain

One of the proposals discussed at the session included the regulations aimed at increasing market transparency and providing farmers with a more level playing field in the food supply chain.

The new solutions are to increase the transparency of trade relations, strengthen the role of producer organisations and improve the conditions for cooperation between farmers and buyers of agricultural products.

– Farmers should have a stronger negotiating position and a greater influence on the conditions of sale of their products. Transparent rules of cooperation and a fair distribution of value in the supply chain are one of the conditions for the stable development of European agriculture – stressed Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak.

The situation in agricultural markets

The Ministers also learnt about the EC’s information regarding the current situation on agricultural markets, in particular, following the invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ministers informed about the most important problems and challenges on the domestic agricultural markets.

Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak informed that the conditions for conducting agricultural activity remained difficult. In April 2026, the ratio of the prices that farmers received for agricultural products sold to the prices they paid for the inputs was the lowest since January 2009.

– The prices of cereals were last this low 18 years ago. Since then, mineral fertilisers and agricultural machinery have tripled while energy carriers more than doubled – stressed Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak.

Still. the difficult situation on the markets of potatoes and sugar continues. In addition, ground frost in April caused very large damage to fruit crops, therefore Poland requested the European Commission to launch extraordinary support measures.

In relation to the markets of animal products, Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak indicated that the buying-in prices of pork had been the lowest in 4 years and that there was no prospect of improving the situation on that market. The situation on the market of milk is also not improving, despite the expectations of the European Commission to reverse the downward trend of buying-in prices.

– Given the intensity of the adverse phenomena affecting the dairy sector since autumn 2025, we sustain our position regarding the necessary measures to be taken by the European Commission on this market – informed Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak.