Recently, the United States has introduced fresh duties that may have serious consequences for the Polish economy and the European Union. US president Donald Trump signed a regulation introducing fresh import duties, which have been in force since 5 April at 10% for goods from around the world. For the countries of the European Union, the tariff is expected to be 20% and will enter into force on 9 April. On 3 April, 25% of the tariffs on cars and light trucks entered into force.
According to estimates, Poland may lose around PLN 10 billion as a consequence of the introduction of fresh duties. Vladimir Czarzasty, Deputy talker of the Sejm and co-chair of the fresh Left, calls for a decisive European Union consequence to these actions. "You can't approach it on your knees. We must have our principles and defend our interests," he said.
The European Union should respond to US duties in an adequate manner, says Czarzasty. "Our consequence should be the European Union's response. It should respond to the same level," he added. The politician stressed that Poland must not quit key partnerships, including an alliance with the United States and a strong European Union.
According to OECD data, the introduction of fresh duties may lead to a decline in global trade and an increase in commodity prices. "The increase in customs rates can consequence in losses for both importers and exporters", claims Andreas Schöer, an OECD economist.
Poland is 1 of the largest exporters in the European Union, and US duties may have serious consequences for our economy. “Export is 1 of the most crucial drivers of Poland’s economical growth,” says Marek Rozkrut, economist from the National Bank of Poland.
In this situation Poland should make efforts present to explain to the US that their actions are wrong. “We should explain through all diplomatic channels to our friends in the United States that what they are doing is not entirely reasonable,” says Czarzasty. The leader of the fresh Left has positively assessed Prime Minister Donald Tusk's global response. "The Prime Minister performs his duties very well in this regard. Thanks to global experience, it serves Poland very well," he said.
In this situation, Poland must take swift and decisive action to defend its economical interests. "We must be prepared for different scenarios and have contingency plans," says Janusz Piechociński, erstwhile Minister of Economy. "Cooperation with the European Union and the US is crucial for our economy, but we must besides think about diversifying our economical partnerships," he adds.
Finally, Poland must remember that US tariffs are only 1 of the many challenges facing our economy. “We must think about the future and how we can guarantee sustainable economical growth,” says Jerzy Hausner, economist at the Cracow Academy of Economics. "Investments in education, innovation and infrastructure are key to our success," he adds.
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US Customs: a fresh challenge for Poland and the European Union
