Poland's presidency of the EU Council – trade and agriculture priorities

Poland assumed its 6-month presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January, to conclude at the end of June 2025. Poland is a part of a presidency trio with Denmark and Cyprus.

Using the joint agenda as a foundation, each member state develops a detailed six-month programme.

The priorities of the Polish presidency are to tackle challenges concerning:

·European security;

·Migration;

·Climate change;

·Ensuring competitiveness of the EU in the global market.

On trade matters, the Presidency programme highlights some priorities which it also frames withing the broader approach of the EU open strategic autonomy.

The actions falling in the area of the Common Commercial Policy will focus on strengthening the EU’s economic security and competitiveness through an ambitious external agenda based on defending an open, fair and balanced global trading system, enhancing the resilience of the transatlantic relationship and developing the economic dimension of the neighbourhood policy, including in particular the modification of the trade component of the Association Agreements with Ukraine and Moldova.

The Presidency will continue to work on ambitious, balanced and reciprocal trade agreements. It will seek to ensure a level playing field for European companies in third country markets as well as in the EU, to strengthen supply chains and to improve access to third country markets for EU goods, services and investment.

On transatlantic trade, the Presidency will also seek to prevent the emergence of possible trade tensions while protecting the legitimate economic interests of the Union.

The Presidency programme also makes reference to creating a level playing field on standards of production for imported agricultural products as part of its priorities.

The Presidency will hold debates on the state of affairs in the area of international trade in agricultural products. The objective to be pursued is an EU trade policy that takes into account strategic and practical interests of European agriculture, promotes its competitiveness vis-à-vis agricultural production from third countries and ensures the safety of food imported into the EU.

The Presidency will attach particular importance to ensuring a level playing field with agricultural products imported from third countries that do not have equally high standards and requirements in agricultural production as the EU.

More information: https://polish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme/programme-of-the-presidency/

Contact: Lebo Mofolo, lmofolo@frucom.eu