EP backs Poland in embargo conflict with Russia

Radio Polonia ^ | Dec 14, 2006

[JoAnka]

On the eve of the EU summit in Brussels, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution stressing the importance of solidarity between the Member States with regard to trade relations with Russia.

The resolution passed yesterday by the EU parliament "stresses the importance of unity and solidarity among the Member States" in its trade relations with Russia. It also insists "that the European Union show the necessary solidarity with all Member States, in particular Poland, which is suffering discrimination under Russia's trade policy." Therefore, the MEPs admitted that Poland has been subjected to discriminatory practices in trade relations with Russia. The Russian embargo on Polish meat was introduced a year ago.

Apart from the embargo on Polish meat, the EU document is also concerned with Russia's limitations on the import of fish from Estonia, as well as Russia's plans to put embargo on meat from other EU states as of January 2007. In a separate amendment introduced by a Polish MEP Konrad Szymański, also Georgia is mentioned as a state unjustly targeted with a ban on the export of some goods to Russia.

The EU support for Warsaw was backed by all political fractions in the EU parliament. Marcin Libicki, member of the European Parliament, sees yesterday's resolution as an important sign of solidarity and unity of EU member states.

'I think it is a day of great satisfaction, because the fundament of the European Union is, first, loyalty and second, solidarity. Yesterday's decision of our body was a decision based on solidarity and loyalty. There can be no good foreign policy, no good common market and no good relations with other countries without these two conditions. Yesterday was a proof that European Union is able to be very loyal to its State Members. So it is a good satisfaction for us and a hope that it will be successful in our relations with Russia.'

Damian Gadzinowski of the representation of the Polish agricultural organizations, which is a member of the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organizations, has been working for a year now to solve the problem of the Polish-Russian embargo conflict. But it was not until the Polish veto which blocked passage of a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Russia and the EU, that things started to clear up.

'Our actions started as early as 2005. However, in our contacts with the commission officials, we didn't get any firm statement of their engagement. It wasn't until the May agricultural council when Mr. Kyprianou who is a commissioner responsible for health and consumer protection admitted that the case of Polish exports was raised at all possible levels with the Russian side. He stated that it was not a technical problem anymore but a more political trade problem with the Russian side. Therefore he referred to commissioner Mandelson and his services. So our representation's action was aimed at Mr. Mandelson with whom we had an opportunity to meet in July this year and the issue of meat export was raised by Mr. Serafin who is the vice-president of COPA. Then at this meeting with Mr. Mandelson we received affirmation of his intention to act whenever possible, whenever he meets his Russian counterparts. However, as we have seen, it was not until the Polish veto that things started to move.'

The resolution, though not binding for Russia in any way, is still a politically important step towards the solution of the embargo problem. Marek Cichocki of the Europan Center Natolin:

'This resolution, of course, is not binding for the Russian policy in the sense of any institutional or legal obligation for Moscow. But as a political sign this resolution is very significant because it shows that the European Parliament as one of the main institutions of the European Union supports Poland. This resolution shows that there is no substantial difference between EU member states towards this problem. Poland can expect support of the institutions in the European Union. In that sense this resolution has a huge political meaning, though of course it's not binding in the sense of any obligations.'

As a sign of good will, Poland has proposed to withdraw from blocking EU negotiations with Russia on the condition that Russia lifts the embargo on Polish meat within 50 days.