Law and Justice party proposes Poland's exit from EU ETS

Przemysław Czarnek, Vice President of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, announced that the party will submit a legislative proposal to withdraw Poland from the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The proposed bill aims to repeal the 2015 act on the CO2 emissions trading system and the 2009 act on the management of greenhouse gas emissions. Czarnek stated that Poland must rely on coal due to its domestic resources and argued that EU decarbonization policies are harming the Polish economy and its competitiveness.

Czarnek cited high energy costs for farmers and energy-intensive industries as a primary motivation, suggesting that removing the obligation for 750 installations to purchase CO2 allowances could significantly reduce electricity prices. The initiative follows a recent Senate decision to reject a proposal for a national referendum on EU climate policy. The PiS proposal also references a Constitutional Tribunal ruling regarding the competence of the EU to make certain decisions within the Council.