Government Submits Energy Bill To Parliament, Chase For EU Recovery Funds Continues

The government has submitted to parliament the energy bill freezing natural gas prices at 2022 levels next year, Rzeczpospolita reports.

• The cost of implementing a price cap on natural gas is estimated at PLN29bn, with further PLN2bn earmarked for changes to legislation on coal subsidies and VAT subsidies for some 300,000 low-income households using natural gas.
• Some of the proposed regulations implement milestones prescribed by the EU under Poland's National Recovery Plan. Meeting the milestones is a condition of unblocking national recovery funds for Poland.
• Energy Minister Buda said that talks with the EU are ongoing and noted that renegotiating parts of or the entire National Recovery Plan is on the table as Russia's invasion on Ukraine rendered some elements of the plan unfeasible.
• Separately, Environment Minister Moskwa argued that Poland is ready to receive EU recovery funds and is preparing a formal application. She pointed to several legislative initiatives that are in the pipeline and will bring Poland closer to meeting EU requirements.