European Commission's proposal to break deadlock in agro-liberalization talks

The European Commission is preparing a solution to break the deadlock in European Union (EU)-Poland agricultural trade-liberalization negotiations. However, even if a compromise is reached, there is no chance for the agreement on trade liberalization to become effective on July 1, along with the EU's agreements with nine other EU-accession candidates. The EU wants Poland to back down on increases in duty introduced in 1999 on products such as yogurt, grain, sugar and butter. Agriculture Minister Artur Balazs is standing by the increased duties. The commission has proposed Poland lower the duties on agreed quotas, and charge higher duties on goods imported outside of the quotas. Balazs has not commented on this idea yet because he has not received any official proposal. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 26) T.J.