EU: Polish and French grain producers want to form a coalition to better combat global competition. Gazeta Wyborcza published on February 15 that entrepreneurs from Poland and France involved in the production, processing or trading of grains met at the Ministry of Agriculture on February 14 to discuss the ever more difficult situation on the EU market and current forecasts of plummeting prices and reduced profitability of grain production. The French side reportedly proposed two solutions: firstly, they want the EU to close its border with Ukraine and Russia, because grain imports from those countries significantly lower its price within the EU; and secondly, they want the EU to support grain exports more extensively. The latter may lead to conflict with the World Trade Organisation, which has recently been pushing for all export subsidies to be lifted. As the EU's fourth biggest grain supplier, Poland may offer substantial support in defending the sector's well-being in Brussels.