Polish President Holds Meeting as Farmers Block Key Streets in Warsaw
The high-stakes session commenced at 10 am (0900 GMT) inside the Presidential Palace, coinciding with thousands of agricultural producers descending upon central Warsaw to blockade critical thoroughfares surrounding the Sejm and key government facilities. The Presidential Chancellery released images from the negotiations through social media channels, confirming Nawrocki was "listening to the concerns of agricultural producers."
Agricultural stakeholders fear the draft EU-Mercosur agreement threatens their livelihoods by flooding European markets with cut-rate farm products from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—nations they contend maintain inferior production standards alongside diminished environmental and labor protections.
After more than twenty years of negotiations, the proposed framework would eliminate tariffs on specific Mercosur agricultural commodities while granting European manufacturers expanded access for machinery, pharmaceuticals, and industrial exports.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attempted to cement the agreement in Brazil during late December but encountered resistance from multiple cautious member nations.
Poland, France, and Hungary currently constitute the opposition bloc against ratification. Italy has expressed concerns without officially joining forces to create a blocking minority.
EU agriculture ministers are evaluating enhanced safeguard mechanisms enabling governments to suspend agricultural imports during market disruptions. Polish Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski, addressing officials in Brussels this week, cautioned that negotiations remain volatile and that "a decision may again be delayed."
EU member state ambassadors were scheduled to vote Friday, though diplomatic sources indicate further postponement appears probable without achieving qualified majority support.
As Europe's sixth-largest agricultural economy, Poland's farming communities wield substantial electoral influence across both domestic and EU political landscapes.
Nawrocki's farmer consultation demonstrates Warsaw's increasingly aggressive posture in EU trade negotiations, reflecting efforts to restore diplomatic capital in Brussels following prolonged bilateral tensions.
Should the agreement advance, individual member state ratification would still be mandatory—ensuring Polish agricultural interests retain leverage throughout the approval process potentially extending into 2026.
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