Speeches

The European Semester, as a tool for coordinating economic and fiscal policies in the EU, is needed to make EU economies more harmonized and public finances free of over-indebtedness. As the 2022 Annual Growth Survey points to the need to further enhance macroeconomic stability, the coordination of economic policies in the EU should serve sustainable and balanced growth. In this context, the green and digital transitions must genuinely support it, while the current climate policy of the Union is very costly and hits the development potential of countries such as Poland. The currently difficult economic reality, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation and now the threat of large-scale war, has made planning in principle very difficult and the dynamics of change do not facilitate this. Therefore, I believe that the deactivation of the general escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact should be approached very carefully in order not to aggravate the economic difficulties in those countries where the situation is difficult. Especially since the Annual Growth Survey for the current year was published in 2021, when there was no war in Ukraine. It is not easy to conduct economic policy nowadays, and the return to stable and rapid growth is complicated, which is why the measures in the form of the National Recovery Plan should be unlocked for Poland as soon as possible in order to support the recovery of the economy.

Madam President, I'm sorry. In the 2014-2020 programming period, cohesion policy, as the main investment policy of the European Union, effectively pursued its Treaty objective of achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion across the European Union. Member States’ evaluations of the performance of 2014-2020 cohesion policy investments show that overall cohesion policy has delivered positive results in the areas supported. I welcome the response of cohesion policy to recent crises: almost €28 billion were redirected to tackle the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, €13 billion were redirected to provide business support to entrepreneurs most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Poland received €82.5 billion under the cohesion policy funds. It is important that approximately PLN 5.9 billion has been allocated to support in the form of dedicated instruments in the relevant national and regional programmes for rural development. Development activities were also continued through additional funds for Eastern Poland in the amount of PLN 8 billion. 2007 thousand projects were completed, including 160 works for R&D and 2 thousand for innovations. We have a future ahead of us. EUR 330 billion has been allocated to cohesion policy for 2021-2027, of which EUR 70 billion will go to Poland, including EUR 2.6 billion to accelerate the development of eastern voivodships and PLN 10 billion for rural development. I only ask the Commission not to block funds for Poland.

Mr President, thank you very much. I support the draft agreement on geographical indications. The significant number of products covered by the geographical labelling scheme proves that food produced in Europe is of exceptional quality and presents an impressive culinary heritage, which we have a duty to protect against unfair competition and shoddy counterfeits. Among the various elements of the new regulation, I particularly appreciate a simplified and more effective procedure for registering new products. It is good that the new regulation extends the scope of protection of geographical indications on the Internet. I also appreciate giving Member States the necessary flexibility to designate the so-called recognised producer groups with increased powers and responsibilities. Graphically protected products are often unique local products that find it difficult to compete with mass production. It is therefore necessary to continuously strengthen the position of farmers, especially small producers, in the food supply chains. I therefore request intensive work on the next revision of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, as market analyses clearly show that, despite the 2019 revision, many wholesalers continue to abuse their dominant position on the market at the expense of agricultural suppliers.

Madam President, I'm sorry. With regard to the draft regulation on new genomic techniques, Poland has taken a balanced position from the outset, i.e. it recognises the need to develop and use innovations in plant production. At the same time, however, we take into account social objections to genetic modifications. The main concerns are: the European Commission's project does not sufficiently ensure the purity of organic production and the so-called coexistence with conventional production. The draft provides for too broad powers for the European Commission to adopt delegated acts, in particular with regard to amendments to Annex 1. The competent authorities of the Member States still do not have effective tools to detect NGTS tracking. It is necessary to provide for an opt-out for Member States for NGT2. Poland's preference is to label final products made using NGT1. The availability of these plants and the protection of the interests of small and medium-sized breeding companies is by far the key issue and it is therefore absolutely unacceptable that NGT1 plants are patentable. This threatens the emergence and strengthening of an oligopoly of several multi-corporations. I will vote against this report.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Farmers in Europe are protesting against trade liberalisation with Ukraine, the European Green Deal and the European Union's agricultural policy. In their view, this policy leads to a reduction in agricultural activity. Poland is pursuing the objectives of rural development policy in line with the theme of today's Commission statement, namely strengthening food security and resilience to crises, improving the quality of life, infrastructure and the environment, developing entrepreneurship, non-agricultural jobs and an active society. This is the Law and Justice Strategy for Agriculture. The European Commission's policy in favour of farmers is needed in terms of unlocking funds from the National Recovery Plan for Poland, quick processing of Poland's applications for market interventions, full convergence of funds for Poland, conclusion of trade agreements beneficial for the European Union, including with Ukraine, development of food exports to third countries. The European Commission must finally start listening to farmers and respecting their views, especially on the design of the European Union's agricultural policy.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I am in favour of rejecting the Commission proposal in its entirety and suspending further legislative work that is contrary to the interests of our farmers and common sense. From the outset, I have been very critical of the draft regulation, sharing the concerns of European representatives, including the Polish agricultural and forestry sector. The most sensitive points remain the politically motivated mandatory national reduction targets and the ban on the use of plant protection products in so-called sensitive areas, which are defined in such a way that, for some Member States, they cover the majority of agricultural land. The biggest objection is raised by the adopted methodology of reduction targets, which, instead of, for example, setting a fixed absolute limit on the use of plant protection products per hectare, requires a percentage reduction in the use of plant protection products in each Member State per hectare.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The European Union should diversify its food and feed supply chains with a view to strengthening plant protein production, as well as reducing dependence on inputs from third country suppliers. The discussion in this area has been going on for several years, but the interest of the feed industry in a protein other than imported soy protein is small. Our strategy should be based on building resilient food chains, including high-protein foods. The priority should be to increase the acreage of soybeans and legumes. An effective food strategy at European Union level must be contingent on ensuring that it is profitable for farmers and producers themselves. The Commission should use the knowledge and experience of Member States to make the EU protein strategy compatible with existing national solutions. However, I do not agree with attempts to question animal protein production and favour plant-based protein. Parliament's draft report under vote strikes a good balance between this fundamental aspect and ensures equal treatment of animal and plant protein production.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The discussion on fur farming should be free from ideology, and decisions on the brutal ban must not be made under pressure from selected environments or under the influence of emotions. The European Union has 450 million inhabitants. Certainly, the breeding of such animals must meet EU and national animal welfare requirements. These animals should not be kept out of range, in a high density that causes unnecessary suffering and increases the risk of transmission of zoonoses. It is necessary to increase the awareness of breeders in this regard. However, I am not in favour of moving full regulation of livestock farming to a pan-European level. Horizontal rules on fur farming should be based on relevant national legislation, taking into account regional specificities and the impact of legislation on local labour markets and employment structures. The phasing out of fur farming should also be based on a system of financial incentives and compensation for breeders and should always provide for realistic vacatio legis to reorient the profile of livestock farms.

Mr President, thank you very much. Poland is one of the countries of the European Union with the poorest water resources. One of the most important issues is retention, i.e. the amount of water that remains in the environment. In my country, Poland, it is at 6.5%, while in Spain it is about 40%. In our region of Central and Eastern Europe, until the 1990s, we had a drought every 5 years, at the beginning of this century every 2.5 years, and most recently every year since 2018. There are already areas in Poland where drinking water is lacking. Better water management, both micro and macro, can improve the situation. That is why the initiative of the Federation of Polish Employers, the issue of introducing a committee or European initiatives is so important. Poland will actively participate in the work on Blue Deal, the Water Strategy, an initiative of the European Economic and Social Committee. Poland brings to the forum the European idea of creating local water supply partnerships. The main goal of creating local partnerships is to initiate cooperation and create a network ... (The President took the floor)

Mr President, thank you very much. Over decades of use, glyphosate has proven to be an effective, cost-effective weed control measure and has enabled many farmers to switch from full-grown to ploughless cultivation, while allowing large-scale seeding of cover crops. The complete elimination of glyphosate from the market would have significant consequences for European farmers, the economy and the environment. According to well-documented analyses, it would cause a decrease in yield by several, even up to several percent. Herbicides and pesticides can and should therefore be used with greater precision and caution, and their excess reduction is inadequate to the risk and counterproductive – it will simply increase agricultural production costs. I strongly oppose further pressure on the agricultural sector in the form of a reduction in the number of authorised plant protection products, as this poses huge challenges to the viability, especially of small farms, creating financial burdens disproportionate to the potential environmental benefits.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The facts and figures presented by Commissioner Wojciechowski clearly demonstrate: The introduced decision to limit imports from Ukraine to five frontline countries of the European Union is right, it protects Polish and EU farmers, while not blocking trade flows between Ukraine and other countries. Ukraine has not lost on the ban on the import of grain to five frontline countries. This ban has only stabilised local markets and ordered our mutual trade. In my opinion, this is the decisive argument in favour of extending the existing restrictions on imports of wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed to five frontline countries at least until the end of this year. In this regard, I would like to stress once again: We are talking about import restrictions, not transit. Transit is gaining speed, efficiency. Let us not let this trend reverse and let us once again destabilize the EU grain markets at a loss for them, for Ukraine and for third countries. The attitude of the Polish government in this matter is clear. It stands up for the interests of our and European farmers. I call on the European Commission to take positive action: prolongation of the ban, introduction of a transport subsidy, re-establishment of trade through Ukraine.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. I am particularly concerned about the impact of the proposed rules on the agri-food sector. In Poland, the implementation of the Regulation in its current form could lead to the liquidation or, at best, to the need to re-profile the activities of thousands of farms, and consequently to the loss of the livelihood of many farmers and the weakening of the competitiveness of Polish agriculture on the common market. Farms across the European Union risk being burdened with unfeasible, poorly specified planning, management, monitoring and reporting obligations. In addition, there is a risk that, in the event of a breach of the Regulation, national authorities will be obliged to take action to interfere with the private property of forest owners. In addition, the objectives of the Regulation appear to be in conflict with other objectives of EU policies, such as building resilient food supply chains and food security. I will therefore vote against the European Commission's proposal in its entirety in tomorrow's vote.

Mr President, thank you very much. The resolution makes it clear that European food production should be considered a strategic objective and put on an equal footing with energy security and defence. I support the proposal to the European Commission to present without delay a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure the food security of the European Union. The report focuses on the viability of farms and the profitability and competitiveness of EU production. Resilient agriculture is primarily agriculture that guarantees a stable income for farmers, based on a fair distribution of subsidies and subsidies between countries, regions and oriented towards its main function – food production. External convergence of subsidies should be accelerated, leading to a level playing field. In the report, we note not only the benefits but also the risks of the Green Deal strategy and rightly call for clearer impact assessments of the different components of the strategy. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the background to the report is the Russian aggression against Ukraine. It has triggered a crisis in food markets and the countries that show the greatest solidarity with Ukraine and its people, including Poland, have been hardest hit in recent months. I therefore call on the European Commission to bear in mind that it is its duty to protect the integrity and stability of the European Union market. Our solidarity with Ukraine and its people remains unchanged, but must not lead to the destabilisation of the agricultural markets of individual Member States.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The role of farmers in the green transition can be significant. However, in the coming years, the average farmer will have to: implement enhanced conditionality to receive direct payments, halve the use of pesticides and fertilisers on average, take into account landscape conservation practices, improve their water management practices, get rid of livestock cages, ensure that their activities are low-carbon. The farm can be flooded with water in accordance with the Nature Restoration Regulation. And all this, Ladies and Gentlemen, in the context of the reduced budget of the Common Agricultural Policy, the consequences of Brexit, the COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the energy markets. I have a question: Is anyone in this room able to give at least an approximate assessment of the cumulative effects of the transition? May I be a bad prophet, but in this way, instead of resilience, we are building a catastrophe in the form of a massive outflow of human resources from agriculture over the next decade and the relocation of agricultural production to third countries.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I would like to thank you for your support for the citizens’ initiative ‘Save bees and farmers’, to which the title should be added ‘...and ensure safe food for consumers’. I draw attention to the well-known, but overlooked fact that the yields of 80 percent of agricultural crops depend on pollinators. This means that farmers and beekeepers form an integral community and should, indeed must, cooperate with each other. In view of all the aspects of the initiative, I call for a resolution to be adopted and for work to be undertaken on the Bee Directive, which will, inter alia, aim to: firstly, the effective implementation of good agricultural practice aimed at reducing the use of aggressive plant protection products, the creation of programmes to support pollinators, the restoration of past field refuges for pollinators and other animals, the commitment of producers to work on safe plant protection products and measures for the treatment of diseases and the control of bee parasites. I am convinced that these actions will bring tangible benefits for consumers, farmers and beekeepers of pollinators.

–Mr President, I would like to thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Farmers in Poland expect stabilization of fertilizer prices. The price spikes of inputs destabilise the markets. The Government of the Republic of Poland supports the efforts of the European Commission and the Parliament to ensure food security. The actions contained in the Commission Communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers should be effectively implemented. In my view, it is important that the Commission activates the agricultural reserve in 2023 to support farmers for exceptional market regulation measures and accepts the Polish Government’s requests without delay. I believe that the production potential of the EU fertilizer industry can fully meet the needs of agriculture in the European Union. It is also necessary to maintain the protection of the European fertilising market against dumping from third countries, in particular Russia.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The energy transition must meet certain objectives. First, the overarching target of a 45% share of energy from renewable sources in the Union's gross final consumption of energy in 2030 is unrealistic. Secondly, in order to ensure a just energy transition, it is necessary to take into account the differences in the level of wealth of European Union citizens across Member States by increasing co-financing in countries with smaller gross domestic product. Thirdly, biomass combustion installations should be included in the REPowerEU measures and additional funding should be provided. Fourthly and finally, RES investments should involve the least possible burden. Article 16d, which makes it possible to restrict the property rights of property owners, should be deleted.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The protection of biodiversity is necessary to ensure the possibility of human life on Earth, to ensure food security. A number of actions by the European Union in this area are of concern, as there are no clear definitions. EU documents lack information on the sources of funding for these ambitious plans, as well as analyses of the socio-economic impact of the proposed changes. The protection of biodiversity poses the greatest challenges for the agricultural sector and rural areas. There are many cross-sectoral dependencies. I therefore call on all parties to the Montreal conference in December to take account of the economic stability of our farms, so that they do not lead to a reduction in the external competitiveness of European agriculture, but, on the contrary, increase ambition and standards, above all in third countries, which currently have an unfair competitive advantage over our farmers.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Each year, before each summit, G20 agriculture ministers meet to identify the main topics that will feature in their statement in support of G20 leaders. The question is, can the President's summary as a result of the summit provide information support for the discussion at the next Leaders' Summit, since a joint statement could not be issued? I doubt whether the proposals on the promotion of agriculture, trade or digital agriculture are in line with the European Union's agricultural policy and the European Green Deal and will ensure equal competition and food security. In the light of the above, I ask the Commissioner that the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki attends the G20 summit in November, so that he can present Poland's and other Three Seas countries' perspectives on food security in the world at the G20 forum, as well as present the actions taken so far in this regard regarding assistance to Ukraine. Once again, I would point out that there is an unfair system of direct payments in Europe, which violates the principle of non-discrimination of citizens on grounds of nationality and the prohibition of discrimination between producers within the Union.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. We support the European Parliament's call for adequate, robust funding for cohesion policy. We see the need to simplify procedures. The main challenges of cohesion policy are food and energy security, the low-carbon transformation of national economies, digitalisation and demographic problems, increased migration movements and, finally, the elimination of the effects of the pandemic and the war. As far as border regions are concerned, barriers to border regions still concern mobility and the provision of transport services, the labour market and health protection. There is a need to respond more effectively to demographic, economic, social or environmental challenges and to identify challenges to address the consequences of the pandemic and the war. A positive effect of cohesion policy in the area of border regions is the third programme for Eastern Poland, which reduces development disparities. And the general postulate: I call on the European Commission to unblock funds from the national recovery plan.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The Land Use Regulation aims to strengthen the sector’s contribution to increasing overall climate ambition. In my view, the proposed targets should be adapted accordingly so that each Member State has a real chance of achieving the proposed national targets. The distribution of the EU target on a country-by-country basis vis-à-vis previous commitment-based scenarios raises serious concerns. The new methodology for the 2030 targets leads to significant divergences in Member States’ efforts. Measures to increase the capacity of forests to absorb CO2 are important, not only in Poland but also in other Member States. Poland is of the opinion that the proposed targets do not take into account the potential of each Member State in the land sector. Poland notes that the calculation proposed by the European Commission does not take into account any long-term trend. It is necessary to provide as much flexibility as possible during and between reference periods. I will therefore vote against this regulation.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The proposals set out in the report are in line with Articles 174 and 349 of the Lisbon Treaty. In this regard, a declaration indicating the need to develop integration strategies that will allow islands to face the challenges and overcome the barriers of their insularity is important. Parliament rightly calls for an assessment of the disaster risk prevention strategy; Calls on the Commission to assess the need for a regulation laying down specific agricultural measures for all islands at NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 level; stresses the need to continue the implementation of the second Cork Declaration for a better life in rural areas; Calls on the Commission to maintain the long-term co-financing rate for the ORs at 85%; calls for additional budgetary resources to be allocated and for an island pact and an action plan modelled on the future rural pact to be drawn up as soon as possible. The implementation of the above-mentioned tasks will improve the economic, territorial and social cohesion of islands in line with the policies of the European Union.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. One of the pillars of the new strategy is to ensure reciprocity and a level playing field in international cooperation. Over the last three years of cooperation under Horizon 2020, scientific relations have been established with third countries, including 30 cooperation initiatives with several countries such as Canada, Japan, China, India or African countries. Poland is the founder of the initiative, as well as the initiator of activities in Central Europe in the field of research and innovation in agriculture BIOEAST, which aims to increase the participation of 13 countries in framework programmes for research and innovation in agriculture, including the bioeconomy. Horizon Europe is a new €97 billion programme to support research and innovation. Poland's goal is to make fuller use of the potential of national science and increase its share of funding from the European Union framework programmes. Question: What mechanism will the European Commission use to ensure that all areas of the European Union have equal access to the funds of the programme and to ensure the sustainable development of the European Union, 13 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Poland?

Mr President, thank you very much. The High House! The Regulation under consideration is crucial for the financing of infrastructure projects with significant cross-border relevance. The budget is, let me remind you, 6 billion euros. Unfortunately, the regulation no longer provides for the possibility of financing gas projects. In connection with the war in Ukraine, Poland in its energy policy until 2040 introduces the fourth pillar of energy sovereignty, the most important goal of which is the rapid independence of the domestic economy from imported fossil fuels and derivatives from Russia. I believe that investments with critical gas infrastructure supporting the objective of Europe's independence from Russian gas should continue to be supported by the creation of alternative instruments for this purpose. I also support the creation of a specific category and funding opportunities for smart gas grids, and in particular the possibility of supporting and upgrading existing natural gas infrastructure networks.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The agreed joint text of the resolution, which will be voted on tomorrow, has serious shortcomings. points out, on the one hand, the need for additional flexibility in the new CAP and an increase in food production in the European Union, and, on the other hand, insists on promoting the objectives of the Green Deal, especially in the Farm to Fork Strategy; These two directions, ladies and gentlemen, are irreconcilable. The following elements, proposed by Commissioner Wojciechowski, are positive and expected by farmers: firstly, intervention on the pigmeat market, secondly, the use of the crisis reserve; thirdly, the temporary suspension of the Green Deal set-aside obligation and the possibility for Member States to pay aid to farmers to buy fertilisers. In addition, the text clearly shows the application of double standards for Member States, which is typical of the European institutions. The only country criticized by name is Hungary, but the name Nord Stream 2 is never mentioned in the whole text. We still have a "better and worse Europe".