During the pre-accession period of Poland and for the implementation of this Agreement, the bilateral contacts between the two Ministries were intensified either directly or via their Commercial Attaches, while Greece organised at MAICH (13-22/12/1999) a training seminar on issues of EC interest. The seminar was attended by 25 executives of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Foods, at the expense of the Greek side.

Poland is a country with an intense agricultural sector. The structures of Polish agriculture are similar to the Greek agriculture, a fact that elects common interests of the two Ministries in line of several problems facing by the agricultural sector. Greek investors have demonstrated a particular interest in Poland on certain sectors of production such as sugar, tobacco, and meat industry.

Since 2004, when Poland was integrated as a full member of the European Union, the two Ministries are in harmonious collaboration in the frame of Community procedures and consultations. Occasionally, Poland asks for support from our country in a number of issues of common interest such as dealing with problems arising from the massive imports of fruits and vegetables (eg strawberry), the need for measures to support the markets of cereals and dairy products, state aids issues, etc.

In 2006, the National Institute of Agricultural Research (NAGREF), supervised by the Ministry, was selected as the main Organisation for the implementation of the Community Twinning Project: "Evaluation of existing active substances and registration and surveillance of biocidal products".

In May 2007, a delegation of Polish Co-Operative Movement (National Cooperative Council of Poland) representatives visited the Greek Ministry in Athens and the Pan-Hellenic Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (PASEGES) in Thessaloniki, in the frame of a Polish programme for the "Promotion of establishing Agricultural Producers' Groups". The aim of the visit was for the participants to exchange views and experiences with the administration and members of the Greek co-operatives on issues of mutual interest, while contacts were realised between the Polish delegation and the Greek producers organisations.

The last few years, the trade balance of agricultural products between Greece and Poland develops at the expense of our country. During the three-year period of 2005-2007 the agricultural balance was in surplus for Greece but since 2008 it has changed to a deficit.

(Updated: October 2009)