VZCZCXRO3762
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHWR #2265 3271107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231107Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2026
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5533
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 1909
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS WARSAW 002265 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR MCLARKSON 
USDA/FAS FOR EJONES 
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT/BTT FOR JBOBO AND EUR/ERA FOR SGRAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EUN TBIO PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: BIOTECH POLICY UNCERTAIN-POSITIVE CHANGE 
POSSIBLE 
 
REF: A. STATE 158225 
 
     ¶B. WARSAW 2230 
 
 ¶1. (U) On 21 November AgAtt Kate Snipes delivered ref. A 
demarche on the EU discussion regarding a tolerance level for 
low level presence of unapproved biotech products to Dr. 
Andzej Wojtyla, Head of Sanitary Inspection and Emilia 
Kalinska, Specialist on GM Food at the Polish Ministry of 
Health and Dr. Ewa Lech, Chief Veterinary Officer at the 
Polish Ministry of Agriculture. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In separate meetings Kalinska and Lech both said 
that Poland does not have a formal position on the matter of 
low level presence (LLP) at this time due to the change in 
government. Kalinska stated that under the previous coalition 
government led by Law and Justice (PiS) she was confident 
Poland would have been against any tolerance level for LLP 
for unapproved products but noted there may be more 
flexibility in the new government. Lech speculated that the 
new government's position may be more pragmatic regarding ag 
biotech. She added that both the Polish pork industry and the 
Ministry of Agriculture officials responsible for feed are 
aware of the limits of non-GM feed supplies and are concerned 
that limited access to feed would make Polish producers less 
competitive and raise meat prices for Polish consumers. 
 
¶3. (U) Kalinska confirmed that if tolerances were adopted by 
the EU, Poland would have the capacity to test and measure 
them with five laboratories approved as part of the EU 
Network of GM Laboratories (ENGL). 
 
¶4. (U) The formal coalition agreement was signed between 
Civic Platform (PO) and the Polish People's Party (PSL) on 
the morning of November 23.  The official Polish position on 
ag biotech will be decided under this new leadership. (See 
ref. B.) 
ASHE