Poland wants to take Russia to court over food ban
In the wake of Russia's ban on some European food products, Poland has asked the European Commission to complain to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Poland sent the request to European Trade Commissioner Karel De Grucht, who represents the EU in WTO cases.
Marek Sawicki, Poland's agriculture minister has said that preliminary consultations are underway, and the first decision on the lawsuit could come as soon as September 12.
On 7 August, Russia slapped sanctions on imports of dairy, vegetable, fruit, meat and fish products from the EU, the US and other markets. Polish farmers have been hardest hit by the tit for tat sanctions between Russia and the West.
The Russian Federation is an important market for Polish produce, with total food exports amounting to roughly €1.13bn a year. Thanks to the food bans, Poland is sitting on 700,000 tonnes of fruit that would have otherwise gone to Russia.
Russia's crackdown on foreign food was in response to a series of actions taken by western countries following the annexation of Crimea and Russia's jingoistic conduct in Ukraine.
"The United States,' Australia's and Canada's opinion will also be important," Sawicki was quoted as saying by Polish news agency PAP. "I believe Deputy Prime Minister (Janusz) Piechociński will engage in talks with those countries," he added.
Should the WTO hand Poland victory in this case, Russia could face fines for restricting markets. The European Commission has already taken action against Russia's embargo on pork imposed in April. European food is not the only thing under threat from an increasingly isolationist Russia: Vedomosti recently reported that the Kremlin was considering extending bans to imported cars.