Polish European Policy

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Development after 1989

In the first 15 years after the fall of the Wall , Polish foreign policy focused on integration into the Transatlantic Partnership and the European Union . The accession negotiations with the EU began in 1998. At that time, Polish European policy was influenced by the postulates of EU enlargement , the improvement of European agricultural policy , as well as Poland's participation in the discussion on the common foreign and security policy and the development of European Eastern European policy embossed.

On May 1, 2004, Poland joined the EU as part of the largest round of enlargement to date. In European policy, the Poles have since followed the principle of acting in the interests of citizens and the European community. That is why Poland is committed to strengthening the international position of the EU through the development of instruments of common policy.

In the period from 2005 to 2007, a coalition led by the moderate Eurosceptic party “ Law and Justice ” (PiS) gained a majority in the Polish parliament ( Sejm ). As a result, there was a shift in emphasis in Poland's previous European policy. The new government's limited willingness to compromise resulted in irritation between Poland and the EU. The dispute over the weighting of votes in the EU after eastward enlargement can serve as an example of this. The election success of the liberal-conservative “ Platforma Obywatelska ” (PO) in 2007 led to the stabilization of Polish foreign policy and thus also European policy.

Current status

Since 2007 one can speak of a uniform line of Polish European policy, with the help of which the priorities competitiveness, solidarity and openness can be pursued and implemented sustainably and in view of current political events in Europe and around the world.

The Polish government aims to deepen European integration on the economic and political level. It also stresses the need to strengthen the European institutions and gradually create a political union. The guidelines of Polish European policy also include strengthening the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Polish policy towards NATO and the EU is based on the principle of the “open door” and is geared towards supporting the further expansion of the alliances, especially with regard to the Eastern European countries. The country strives to develop the EU's eastern dimensions and is committed to closer cooperation with neighboring countries to the east, including Ukraine . Poland and Sweden are among the initiators of the Eastern Partnership .

Poland supports the continuation of the EU enlargement as a clear consequence of the previous open, democratic and rule of law attitude of the Union towards its neighboring countries and points to the positive effects of enlargement in Central and Eastern Europe.

By joining the EU, the country committed itself to introducing the common European currency . The introduction of the euro will, however, depend on the economic situation in the euro zone and the macroeconomic and legal preparations in Poland. There are no plans to join the euro zone in the foreseeable future. This is why the country is politically committed to reducing the separation between the euro and the other EU countries. Poland is also one of the countries that benefit most from the EU's cohesion policy. Despite the economic crisis, the government in Warsaw pushed for the expansion of the financial framework for the years 2014–2020. Poland also supports the further development of the EU internal market , especially with regard to the free movement of people and the free movement of goods and services. The government in Warsaw sees EU membership as the basis for the “civilizational” development of Poland.

The country is committed to the creation of the Energy Union within Europe, based on the principle of solidarity. It supported the plans to build the South Stream Pipeline , but was skeptical of the Nord Stream Pipeline project because it bypasses Poland and thus affects the country's energy security. As a country whose energy comes mainly from hard coal, the Polish government is skeptical of the EU's energy and climate goals, in particular the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Further commitment

Poland also participates in regional initiatives within Europe, including the Visegrád Group together with the Czech Republic , Slovakia and Hungary . As part of the cooperation, common strategies for the development of the region are worked out. In addition, the partnership with France and Germany as part of the Weimar Triangle is considered strategically important.

Poland held the EU Council Presidency from June to December 2011 . The following priorities were set for this period:

  • European integration as a basis for growth
  • Safe Europe - food, energy, defense
  • Europe benefiting from openness

Representative in the institutions of the EU

The former Prime Minister of Poland, Jerzy Buzek , was President of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2012 . Donald Tusk , Prime Minister of Poland from 2007-2014, has been President of the European Council since November 2014 .

From 2009 to 2014 Janusz Lewandowski , Polish economist, was responsible for the financial planning and budget department in the European Commission. Elżbieta Bieńkowska has been working on the internal market in the Commission since 2014 .

literature

  • D. Bingen: Polish European Policy, Polish Neighborhood Policy. In: E. Bos, J. Dieringer: The genesis of a Union of 27. The European Union after the eastward expansion. Wiesbaden 2008, ISBN 978-3-531-15744-3 , pp. 381-396.
  • A. Kociołek, M. Zarouni: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from A – Z. Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-643-11648-2 , pp. 347-363.
  • Paweł Musiałek (Ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, ISBN 978-83-7482-483-5 .
  • H. Münch: Guiding principles and basic understanding of Polish European policy. Wiesbaden 2007, ISBN 978-3-531-15363-6 .
  • MSZ : Poland's 10 years in the European Union. 2014, ISBN 978-83-63743-88-8 .
  • MSZ: Priorytety polskiej polityki zagranicznej 2012–2016. Warsaw 2012.
  • K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, ISBN 978-83-7482-483-5 , pp. 81-105.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ D. Bingen: Polish European Policy, Polish Neighborhood Policy. In: E. Bos, J. Dieringer: The genesis of a Union of 27. The European Union after the eastward expansion. Wiesbaden 2008, p. 382.
  2. A. Kociołek, M. Zarouni: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from AZ. Berlin 2012, pp. 357–358.
  3. A. Kociołek, M. Zarouni: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from AZ. Berlin 2012, p. 361.
  4. ^ D. Bingen: Polish European Policy, Polish Neighborhood Policy. In: E. Bos, J. Dieringer: The genesis of a Union of 27. The European Union after the eastward expansion. Wiesbaden 2008, pp. 382-383.
  5. MSZ : Priorytety polskiej polityki zagranicznej 2012–2016. Warszawa 2012, p. 8.
  6. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 82.
  7. A. Kociołek, Zarouni, M .: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from AZ. Berlin 2012, p. 358.
  8. A. Kociołek, M. Zarouni: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from A – Z. Berlin 2012, p. 361.
  9. MSZ: Priorytety polskiej polityki zagranicznej 2012–2016. Warszawa 2012, p. 11.
  10. MSZ: Priorytety polskiej polityki zagranicznej 2012–2016. Warszawa 2012, p. 8.
  11. MSZ: Priorytety polskiej polityki zagranicznej 2012–2016. Warszawa 2012, p. 8.
  12. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Musiałek, Paweł (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011, Kraków 2012, p. 90.
  13. ^ MSZ: Poland's 10 years in the European Union. P. 1.
  14. ^ MSZ: Poland's 10 years in the European Union. P. 3.
  15. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 82.
  16. Paweł Musiałek (Ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 10.
  17. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 92.
  18. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 92.
  19. A. Kociołek, M. Zarouni: Poland. In: W. Gieler (Ed.): Foreign policy in European comparison. A handbook of the states of Europe from AZ. Berlin 2012, p. 359.
  20. ^ K. Szpak: Polityka zagraniczna na forum Unii Europejskiej. In: Paweł Musiałek (ed.): Główne kierunki polityki zagranicznej rządu Donalda Tuska w latach 2007–2011. Kraków 2012, p. 98.