EU Commission urges Poland to overhaul pension system

The European Commission released the spring package of the 2026 European Semester, outlining economic recommendations for EU members. For Poland, the Commission highlighted a sharp rise in government and local‑authority deficits, placing the country under the excessive deficit procedure since July 2024. It called for tighter public‑finance management and a reduction of the growing public‑debt burden.

A central focus of the recommendations is Poland’s pension system, which the Commission says will generate increasing future liabilities. Over the past two decades the ratio of average pension to average wage has declined, with women and self‑employed workers particularly exposed to pension‑poverty. The Commission proposes raising the effective retirement age, improving the adequacy and stability of pensions, addressing women’s pension gaps, and reforming special pension schemes.

The Commission stresses that defence spending must be balanced with cost‑efficiency in other sectors while urging Poland to broaden the tax base and enforce tax‑compliance rules as part of its broader fiscal consolidation effort.