Strengthening the defence potential, protecting borders, resilience to misinformation, freedom of economical activity, energy transformation or wellness safety are any of the objectives of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union launched on 1 January. The government's programme was presented in the Sejm by Adam Szpiecka, Minister for EU Affairs.
– Preparing Polish Presidency programme We focused on what is most crucial today, that is that Europe should take work for its security," said Adam Szpiecka, Minister for European Union Affairs, presenting the government programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU in the Sejm. The slogan of the Polish Presidency, which will run from 1 January to 30 June 2025, reads: “Safety, Europo!”
The Minister recalled that Poland took over the Presidency for the second time during almost 21 years of EU presence. She served for the first time in 2011. present Europe and the planet are completely different. They face immense challenges related to, among others, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine whether the Kremlin's aggressive attitude towards EU countries was replaced by Traps. In the context of challenges, he besides mentioned organization changes in the US.
Seven Dimensions
The Polish Presidency will support actions to strengthen European safety in 7 main dimensions. The first is external security. In the current situation, as the Minister pointed out, the Union needs joint action in favour of a European defence that complements NATO's efforts. – There is simply a request to strengthen defence readiness based, inter alia, on increased military spending and stronger defence industry. At the same time, associate States should increase their defence spending," said Minister Szpiek. It is besides crucial to support key elements of defence infrastructure, specified as the Shield of the East. “We will besides search to strengthen transatlantic ties and cooperation with non-Union allies, including the precedence will be to strengthen cooperation with the US,” said Sztrapka.
He besides stressed that the Polish Presidency would search lasting support for Ukraine at political, military and economical levels, and work to strengthen EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus.
On interior safety issues, the Minister listed the fight against hybrid threats as priorities of our Presidency, including the search for fresh solutions to the problem of migration and safety of the EU's external borders. "We will take action towards an adequate EU consequence to the instrumentalisation of migration by Russia and Belarus," he stressed.
The next Polish goal is to be combating misinformation and improve the EU's capacity to prevent and reduce the impact of hostile actions in cyberspace, i.e. to strengthen information security. safety of supply of energy natural materials is crucial for EU energy security. "The Polish Presidency will promote, among another things, a complete departure from Russian energy imports and take action to reduce energy prices in the EU", said the Minister.
In terms of economical security, it is essential to deepen the EU's single marketplace and reconstruct the Union's competitive position globally. The Polish Presidency will besides advance reducing bureaucratic burdens and moving distant from the overregulation economy and seeking investment in fresh technologies.
As regards food production, Minister Szpiecka stressed the request to support EU agriculture to be competitive with non-EU countries. On wellness security, the Polish Presidency will focus on the digital transformation of wellness care, intellectual wellness of children and young people and promoting health-promoting attitudes and prevention of diseases.
Defence and Migration
A series of statements and questions from Members followed the Minister's speech. We are betting on safety in all dimension. This is not only a slogan, but a challenge which Poland undertakes – assured Krzysztof Truskolaski (Parliamentary Club of the Civic Coalition). On the another hand, Rafał Kasprzyk (KP Poland 2050 – 3rd Road) stressed that the warrant of peace is to increase the EU's defence spending and to build border reinforcements. It is besides crucial to respond to the instrumentisation of migration. These ideas were supported by Bartosz Romowicz from the same club. He called for the minute of our Presidency to strengthen the wall of the east EU, taking care of our common security. Minister Szpiecka replied that Poland, during its Presidency, wants to focus on additional tools to fight illegal migration.
– We welcome the draft programme, in which safety plays a central function on different levels,” Arkadiusz Sikora (KP Lewiczka) said. He added that this is crucial for Poland as a country located in the east of the EU alongside specified aggressors as Russia and Belarus. “This is why it is crucial to support Ukraine and strengthen alliances in and outside NATO,” added Mr Lefty.
The programme of the Polish Presidency was criticised by opposition MPs. – We should make the best usage of our Presidency for the implementation of Polish interests. However, we deficiency the instruments to accomplish this goal," said Szymon Szyńkowski a.k.a. Sęk (PiS). He added that it was a mistake to abandon the organisation of an informal European Council gathering and the EU-US Summit in Poland. "How are we expected to strengthen our voice in the Union and strengthen transatlantic ties, giving up meetings at the highest levels?" asked PiS MP. In response, Minister Sz Trapka pointed out that it was during the regulation of the Law and Justice that preparations for the Polish Presidency began, during which small was done. There is besides no RE gathering in Poland. "At the informal European Council, it is crucial not where it will take place, but what will be established during it, and the forthcoming gathering will concern defence issues," argued the Minister.
Many Members besides asked questions about the EU-Mercosur trade liberalisation agreement signed in early December 2024 (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay). "The position of the Polish government is critical of this agreement, but during our Presidency this issue will most likely not enter into the deliberations of the Council of the EU", said Szpiek. He added that many challenges ahead of the EU, but the Polish 21 years in it showed that we can usage this time and succeed, serious reasoning about security.
