Security, Europe! The Polish Presidency of the EU Council
Author: Miruna-Antonia Aniculăesei
Reading time: 2.20
“Security, Europe!” is the slogan of the new Presidency of the Council of the European Union, taken over by Poland after Hungary's quite a controversial term. In comparison to the Hungarian Presidency, which failed to properly sanction Russia, the Polish representatives shaped their programme around the issue of security in the current tense geopolitical context.
The question then arises: What does the Polish Presidency’s vision for security entail? Its established priorities cover the key areas of strengthening the EU-NATO and EU-US relations, while also supporting the defence infrastructure of the East Shield through EU instruments. The Council Presidency has also expressed its intention to continue offering support to Ukraine, as well as tackling security, misinformation and hybrid threats posed by Russia and Belarus to the Member States. In this way, Poland will also try to approach the issue surrounding the ongoing transition away from Russian energy supply by developing a new EU energy security architecture and promoting solutions, such as imposing restrictions on exports of goods and technology related to oil and gas exploration. The Council has also agreed to prohibit the provision that allowed Russian crude oil and petroleum products to be stored in the EU.
Moreover, as a country on the Eastern Flank, it is natural for Poland to focus a sizable amount of the Presidency’s work on migration, despite it being a domestically contentious issue. Calls for a safe migration policy can, however, be seen as an attempt at securing EU borders against migrant flows interpreted as hybrid threats. Nevertheless, Poland has to navigate this issue while trying to keep its internal political disputes from affecting decisions at a European level.
Internally, the Presidency has put emphasis on EU values, such as democratic resilience and the rule of law, as well as on enlargement talks, especially regarding Ukraine and countries in the Western Balkans. Against this backdrop, it also wishes to strengthen the competitiveness within the Single Market, so as to boost the resources needed for EU defence, but also to make the agricultural sector more competitive and resilient, as a reaction to the farmers’ protests. Financial matters are of special significance to Poland, considering that it is one of the primary beneficiaries of the EU budget, and this position may prove beneficial in the upcoming budget talks. Furthermore, the Presidency will work towards achieving better health security for EU citizens, particularly the elderly and the EU youth. The environmental question will also be looked into through a new strategy of avoiding the imposition of bans and burdens on Member States, and, instead, pushing for incentives and popular support.
Overall, given the Polish Presidency’s priorities, it is clear that security will be at the heart of their policy positions. Even so, the programme is being criticised by the media, with reservations that it may be used as a way of increasing Poland’s prestige, as well as for allowing its national policy to influence EU policy as a whole. Whether or not the criticisms will prove to be true remains to be seen throughout the course of the remaining months of its term. For now, considering the continued Russian aggression, the isolationist tendencies of the new US Administration and the continuing rise of populism in the Member States, it is only expected that Poland maintains its strong stance on guarding the EU.
