Poland Resumes Work On Milestones, Might Submit Request For EU Funds Payout Within Two Weeks

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed this morning that Poland would like to submit a formal request for the payout of EU recovery funds within two weeks, after suggesting that the application could be sent in 10 days in a weekend interview with RMF FM radio station.

• Poland is working on key legislation to achieve the "milestones" defined by the European Commission as conditions for unlocking more than EUR35bn in EU recovery funds, which includes EUR23.9bn in grants.
• Last Friday, the lower house of parliament approved crucial bill that would unwind the bulk of judicial reforms that had set Poland on a collision course with Brussels in the last few years, due to concerns over the erosion of rule-of-law standards.
• The court bill has now been submitted to the upper house for further review. The opposition-controlled Senate is expected to introduce amendments and return the bill to the lower house. Should the lower house give its final approval to the bill, it would be sent to the President for his signature.
• The Prime Minister said this morning that in its next session (January 25-26), the lower house will debate a proposal to liberalise rules on building wind farms, which according to RMF FM is another milestone for unlocking the first tranche of funds.
• Morawiecki suggested over the weekend that if the legislation required by Brussels is adopted, the first tranche of recovery funds could be transferred in Q3 or Q4 this year.