{"id":8517,"date":"2021-05-04T09:29:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T07:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tomaszdomanski.eu\/en\/?page_id=8517"},"modified":"2023-05-10T04:42:36","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T02:42:36","slug":"fruit-union","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tomaszdomanski.eu\/en\/fruit-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Portfolio | Fruit Union"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Protecting the interests of fruit and vegetable exporters <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Case Study<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Association of Polish Exporters and Distributors of Fruit and Vegetables “Fruit Union”<\/a>\u00a0(Unia Owocowa) brought together several dozen large companies and producer groups involved in the export of fruit and vegetables to Russia. It was established in 2010 from the need to protect the interests of associated companies in the situation of an embargo imposed by the Russian Federation on imports of fruit and vegetables from Poland. At that time, the Fruit Union represented the interests of 34 Polish entrepreneurs exporting fruit and vegetables from the Gr\u00f3jec region.\u00a0<\/p>

I was hired to review and update the statutes of this association, organize its internal structures, develop operating procedures and develop its website. I was also asked to provide ongoing advisory assistance in the Association’s relations with state and European authorities, as well as to cooperate on behalf of the Association with a law firm and a public relations agency. One of my tasks was also to prepare a business plan for the phytosanitary research laboratory.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Embargo, or effective tactics of Moscow<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Trade relations between the European Communities and the Russian Federation were regulated in the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement of June 24, 1994, while the agreement of November 2, 2004 was the basis for the development of economic relations between Poland and Russia. Despite these (and other) regulations, Russia often used the embargo<\/a> on imports of agricultural and food products as an instrument of its policy towards the European Union countries. In the years 2009-2011 (and later), the embargo was imposed on imports from Poland. It took the form of prohibitive tariffs or sanitary restrictions, preventing the export and sale of Polish fruit and vegetables in the territory of the Russian Federation.<\/p>

In 2008, the European Union signed a memorandum with the Russian Federation, under which all fruit and vegetable exporters had to obtain safety certificates confirming compliance with Russian sanitary standards. The tests were carried out by specialized Polish laboratories, which confirmed the quality (purity) of fruit and vegetables for each exported batch.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In 2010, for unclear reasons, the Russian Federation stopped honoring certificates issued by most Polish laboratories, recognizing the phytosanitary certificates of only one private organization, representing the interests of several small producers and exporters. This decision was incomprehensible and inadequate to the realities of the Polish fruit and vegetable production sector. All exporters trading with the East were forced to purchase safety certificates not covered by Polish law and non-normative (not meeting global standards). The unit price of the certificate was EUR 300 for each truck crossing the border of the Russian Federation.<\/p>

The situation has become very burdensome for Polish producers and exporters. Attempts to solve the problem were made by the Minister of Agriculture and the Polish Ambassador to Russia. As a result of the talks, restrictions on certificates were temporarily lifted. Thanks to the interventions of the Fruit Union, representatives of the European Commission also got involved in this matter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Association undertaked organized actions, trying to prevent the effects of Russian restrictions. Blocking exports to Russia meant serious trouble for many Polish companies. Indirect export routes were sought, which allowed to save the situation to some extent. Polish fruit and vegetable exporters were not prepared at that time to export to distant world markets.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Research on the safety of food products<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Russian Rosselkhoznadzor honored certificates issued by only four out of a dozen of Polish laboratories. This limitation meant that it took more than a year for the certificate to be issued. Such the state of affairs was unacceptable. Providing a fruit sample for testing required depressurization of a huge warehouse (fruits are stored in nitrogen) and quick sale. Waiting too long for the certificate threatened to spoil the depressurized batch of fruit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n
\n