Balazs puts all eggs in one basket over agricultural trade liberalization talks

Agriculture Minister Andrzej Balazs has proposed a radical form of agricultural-goods trade which has surprised the European Commission (EC). After a two-month deadlock over the "double zero" issue, which means a mutual scrapping of custom duties and trade subsidies, there now appears to be a chance for a breakthrough. If that happens, new laws will come into force on June 1, 2001. The new proposals involve the liberalization of trade in "sensitive goods", such as grains and some dairy produce. However, the new proposals may turn out to be too radical for Brussels to accept. The commission has acknowledged Poland's optimism, but says no breakthrough is possible unless Poland abolishes all duty charged on EU agricultural produce. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 18) P.S.