Poland proposes automatic cancellation of pre-1999 ZUS debts

A new legislative project submitted to the Sejm proposes the automatic cancellation of certain Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) debts incurred before January 1, 1999. This initiative aims to resolve long-standing arrears from the previous social insurance system, which currently involve approximately 7,100 payers and total roughly 315 million PLN.

The proposed law would also eliminate associated interest, additional fees, and enforcement costs without requiring a formal application. However, the relief is specific: it applies to unpaid social security contributions, the Labor Fund, and the Guaranteed Employee Benefits Fund. Debts secured by mortgages will not be cancelled, and the law does not apply to more recent debts incurred after the 1999 reform.