EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said he has no doubt that the Court of Justice of the European Union will not challenge the implementation of the trade agreement with Mercosur. Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., he commented on the Polish government’s announcement that it would file a complaint. “I spend a lot of time talking with farmers, including farmers from Poland, and I simply believe that by implementing this agreement, we will see its practical positive impact on the economies of the European Union and many countries, including Poland,” he added.
“Of course, every country has the right to обратиться to the Court (…) and of course we will respect any ruling. However, I would like to remind you that the European Court of Justice has already ruled on similar issues in the past. So we have no doubt what the answer will be and why we proceeded with the provisional implementation of this agreement,” Šefčovič said, responding to a question about the Polish government’s planned complaint.
The commissioner argued that concerns raised by member states regarding the agreement with South American countries will not materialize, just as fears expressed before the conclusion of the EU’s free trade agreement with Canada did not.
“I remember that at the time of its signing, similar concerns were raised: what would be its impact on agriculture, what would be the overall impact on the European economy. And now, I think seven or eight years have passed, and everyone is super satisfied with this document,” he said.
“I visited Canada just a few months ago. Our trade has increased by 60 percent, and the concerns did not materialize. In this turbulent world, we are very pleased with partners like Canada who have access to the market, and it works both ways,” he added.
Šefčovič also said that the Commission had made “unprecedented” efforts to create additional safeguards for the European market, including the possibility of “pulling the brake” in the event of a sudden increase in imports from Mercosur countries.
“I spend a lot of time talking with farmers, including farmers from Poland, and I simply believe that by implementing this agreement, we will see its practical positive impact on the economies of the European Union and many countries, including Poland,” he stressed.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on Friday that the Polish government would challenge the Mercosur agreement before the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Prime Minister said he had informed the European Commission in advance.
The Minister of National Defence and leader of the Polish People’s Party (PSL) noted that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Tusk and Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski.
“We believe that food security, consumer safety, and the protection of our domestic market are at risk,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz. In his view, the method of implementing the agreement is also flawed.
