# Poland‑EU climate policy and fuel‑tax clash > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/polandeu-climate-policy-dispute > Updated: 2026-08-24T08:01:02.000Z. Sources: 81. Developments: 10. The dispute between President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk over a 60% windfall tax on fuel-company profits and Poland’s alignment with the EU climate agenda has continued into 2026. After Nawrocki referred the draft tax law to the Constitutional Tribunal in late July, Tusk denounced the move as a “CKN” (Karol Nawrocki prices) that would push fuel costs higher for drivers, farmers and transport firms. The government, which ended the “Ceny Paliwa Niżej” programme earlier in the year, said it could re-introduce regulated fuel prices for the final weeks of the holiday season and announced a temporary price-regulation mechanism to shield consumers from market volatility. A poll released on 3 August showed more than half of respondents still view the government’s response to soaring fuel prices as inadequate, 66.9% favour renewed state intervention during the holiday period, and 36% hold Nawrocki personally responsible. Authorities have pressed state-controlled oil giant Orlen to cut margins, prompting the company to lower wholesale fuel prices for the first time in months. On 5 August the Senate, controlled by the governing coalition, rejected Nawrocki’s second request for a national referendum on the EU Green Deal, despite a revised wording that avoided the earlier cost-of-living framing. The rejection underscores the coalition’s continued resistance to a public vote on the EU climate package, while the broader clash over fuel-tax revenue and climate policy remains unresolved. In late August, Greenpeace launched a protest campaign in Warsaw and Poznań targeting Nawrocki following his veto of an amendment to the wind energy law. The veto maintained a 700-meter minimum distance between wind turbines and residential buildings, blocking a reduction to 500 meters. Greenpeace claims this decision contributes to higher energy costs, describing the veto as one of the “most harmful” actions regarding long-term energy prices. ## Claims - The proposed tax would apply a 60% rate on extraordinary profits of fuel companies, affecting fuel prices for drivers, farmers, transporters and firms. (corroborated by 11 sources) - The tax was expected to raise about 4 billion zlotys for the budget to fund the CPN programme. (corroborated by 8 sources) - President Karol Nawrocki sent the windfall tax draft to the Constitutional Tribunal for preventive control. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The tax would apply to extraordinary profits of fuel companies earned from March to December 2026. (corroborated by 7 sources) - Finance Minister Andrzej Domański said the blocked revenue amounted to roughly 4 billion zlotys. (corroborated by 7 sources) - President Nawrocki argued the draft law violates the constitutional principle that law cannot act retroactively. (corroborated by 7 sources) - Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly criticized the president’s action, calling it shocking and saying it blocks funding for cheaper fuel. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the tax decision could lead to higher fuel prices for drivers and other consumers. (corroborated by 6 sources) - President’s chief of staff suggested Tusk lower VAT and excise instead of a new tax. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The government is considering re‑introducing regulated fuel prices (CPN) for the last two weeks of the vacation season if oil prices rise again. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The previous “Ceny Paliwa Niżej” (CPN) programme ended in early July. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Prime Minister Donald Tusk mocked the president’s decision with the abbreviation “CKN”. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-24: Greenpeace targets President Karol Nawrocki in wind energy protest Greenpeace activists in Warsaw and Poznań have launched a campaign against President Karol Nawrocki, protesting his 2025 veto of wind energy legislation. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/greenpeace-targets-president-karol-nawrocki-in-wind-energy-protest ### 2026-08-21: Greenpeace targets President Karol Nawrocki over wind energy veto Greenpeace has launched a poster campaign in Poland criticizing President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of wind energy legislation, claiming it increases household energy costs by 1,500 PLN annually. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/greenpeace-targets-president-karol-nawrocki-over-wind-energy-veto ### 2026-08-05: Polish Senate Rejects President Nawrocki's EU Climate Policy Referendum Poland’s Senate, led by the governing coalition, rejected President Karol Nawrocki’s second request for a referendum on EU climate policy, dismissing a revised question on supporting the EU Green Deal. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-senate-rejects-president-nawrockis-eu-climate-policy-referendum ### 2026-08-03: Poland’s Fuel‑Price Crisis Spurs Government Action and Public Backlash Poles demand more action on rising fuel costs; President Nawrocki sent a windfall‑tax bill to the Constitutional Court, and the government urged Orlen to cut margins as the company lowers wholesale prices. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/poland-fuel-price-cuts-face-public-backlash ### 2026-07-27: Polish PM Tusk slams President Nawrocki’s block of fuel windfall tax President Nawrocki blocked a 60 % windfall tax on fuel firms, costing ~4 bn zł, prompting PM Tusk to label the move “CKN” and warn of higher prices, while the government eyes re‑introducing regulated fuel costs 40 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polands-fuel-price-dispute-intensifies-as-tusk-and-president-nawrocki-clash ### 2026-07-27: Poland's Foreign Minister Sikorski attacks EU Green Deal referendum proposal Polish FM Radosław Sikorski denounced President Nawrocki’s EU Green Deal referendum as selective Euro‑fobia and mocked Education Minister Czarnek’s climate‑skeptic stance. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polands-foreign-minister-sikorski-attacks-eu-green-deal-referendum-proposal ### 2026-07-25: Poland's President Nawrocki blocks windfall fuel tax, sparking clash with PM Tusk Poland’s president sent a windfall fuel tax to the Constitutional Tribunal, citing retroactivity, while PM Tusk called the move shocking, saying it blocks 4 bn zł for cheaper fuel; he suggested VAT cuts and a ‘ 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polands-pm-tusk-slams-president-nawrocki-over-blocked-fuel-profits-tax ### 2026-07-23: President Karol Nawrocki blocks windfall fuel tax and advances EU Green Deal referendum President Karol Nawrocki blocked a 4 bn zł windfall tax on fuel firms, drawing criticism from Donald Tusk, and filed a second Senate‑backed referendum on the EU Green Deal climate policy. 39 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-president-karol-nawrocki-calls-for-second-referendum-on-eu-climate-policy ### 2026-07-18: President Karol Nawrocki prepares second referendum on EU climate policy Polish President Karol Nawrocki will again file a Senate request for a nationwide referendum on the EU climate policy after his first proposal was rejected; officials cite costly ETS reforms and estimate up to 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-president-karol-nawrocki-pushes-for-referendum-on-eu-climate-policy ### 2026-07-02: Polish President Karol Nawrocki Vetoes Two Bills, Criticizes Government Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a student‑rights bill and the EU FuelEU Maritime law, sent an excise‑tax amendment to the Constitutional Tribunal, and slammed the Tusk government for legislative chaos, a 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-president-karol-nawrocki-vetoes-two-bills-criticizes-government --- Cite as: Poland‑EU climate policy and fuel‑tax clash. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/polandeu-climate-policy-dispute