Mirosława Tereszczuk “Influence of Integration with the European Union on Polish Foreign Trade of Agro-food Products”, Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2, No 1, 2009, pp. 133-140.

Influence of Integration with the European Union on Polish Foreign Trade of Agro-food Products

Mirosława Tereszczuk

Institute of Agriculture and Food Economy – National Research Institute

Food Industry Economic Department

POLAND, 00-002

Warsaw, Świętokrzyska 20 Str.

tel.: +48 22 50 54 516

e-mail: m.tereszczuk@ierigz.waw.pl

Abstract During five years of Poland's membership in the European Union (EU), trade of agri-food products with abroad has increased almost three times: from 7.6 billion EUR in 2003 up to 21.1 billion EUR in 2008; export of agri-food products has been increased by almost three times (from 4.0 to 11.3 billion EUR) and import – by more than 2.5 times (from 3.5 to 9.8 billion EUR). Trade exchange with the EU countries has been especially quickly developed. The EU market is the main receiver of Polish agri-food products. The supplies of food from Poland to the EU-25/27 states in the years 2003 – 2008 were increased almost by 3.5 times (from 2.6 to 9.1 billion EUR) and import from the EU to our country during the mentioned period increased by 3 times (from 3.5 to 6.8 billion EUR). Import of agri-food products as being increased after the accession has not presented any threat for domestic production but, on the contrary, it affected its increase and rise of exports. The membership of Poland in the European Union had an influence on dynamic increase of foreign trade of agri-food products, and by this, acceleration of development of Polish food economy.

Keywords: agricultural and food products, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), foreign trade, exports, imports

Submitted: March, 2009

1^st revision: May, 2009

Accepted: June, 2009

JEL classification: Q17, Q18, P1