Warsaw picks apple as its EU presidency symbol

Poland has chosen the apple as the symbol of its presidency and it will be served at events in both Warsaw and Brussels.

European countries holding the presidency of the Council of the EU for six months usually use a symbol of some kind: Estonia introduced a mascot in the form of a robot, and Hungary adopted a Trump-inspired slogan during its recent presidency.

Last year, Belgium’s presidency of the Council of the EU used a chocolate logo, which was ceremoniously broken by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and then eaten by EU leaders at an inaugural event.

Poland’s presidency logo is inspired by the iconic Solidarity movement, but the country has also chosen the apple, which organisers described as Эa source of national pride,” as the official symbol of the presidency.

The apples, grown in Poland’s Grojec region, are even protected by an EU geographical indication because of their quality.

This is not Poland’s first fruit fair during the EU Presidency: back in 2011, Polish strawberries were the centre of attention, showcasing the country’s agricultural prowess.

Poland produces 4 million tonnes of apples a year and is the leading apple producer in Europe, so there should be plenty to spare.

Polish apples have also earned international recognition, with exports set to reach 817,000 tonnes in 2023, from sales to neighbouring Germany and Romania to far-flung markets such as India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Hopes of Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who took over the government late last year and aims to put the country back on the European path – after nearly a decade of rule by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which split Warsaw from Brussels, is expected to put all his energies into restoring that unity.

Polish TV channel TVP believes that Tusk, as an experienced European politician, will be able to succeed in this endeavour. He served as head of the European Council from 2014 to 2019, and then until November 2022 headed the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest party in the European Parliament, to which Ursula von der Leyen, who was re-elected this year for a second term as head of the European Commission, also belongs.

The presidency of the European Council passes from one EU member state to another every six months; thus, each of the 27 countries of the union gets it once every 13-14 years. Poland will be succeeded by Denmark in the second half of 2025.

In addition to ensuring the continuity of the EU’s course, the responsibilities of the presidency include overseeing the legislative work of the European Council and ensuring co-operation between EU member states.

The presidency also organises meetings at different levels of the European Council (with the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council) and its preparatory bodies, including the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States.