Polish Presidential Candidate Fears Intrusion of US GMP due to TTIP

MOSCOW (Sputnik) —The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement between the European Union and the United States poses many risks for Europe, including for Poland, the presidential candidate of the Polish People's Party (PSL) said Monday.

The presidential elections in Poland are scheduled for May 10. During the election campaign Adam Jarubas said the TTIP poses various threats, including the possibility of an influx of genetically modified (GMO) products from the United States.

"What I am afraid of is the possibility of a very strong intrusion by the United States of, for example, genetically modified products. Poland, Europe tries to protect itself from the influx of such products. They carry a lot of threats, we have no conclusive studies that show that genetically modified products are not harmful to health," Jarubas said.

The Polish presidential candidate expressed concerns that the competitiveness of European, including Polish, agriculture with "high-productive US agriculture" is not in Europe’s best interests. Jarubas also noted that the United States has a natural advantage over the European Union due to low energy prices.

On Sunday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GMO apples and potatoes, saying they are "as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts."

The TTIP is a proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. While its advocates claim it could be mutually beneficial for economic growth, opponents believe it will make it harder for the European states to regulate markets.