Will withdrawing from the ETS be included in Law and Justice’s (PiS) election program? Such a proposal has surfaced among party MPs following a recent speech by the German Chancellor. Friedrich Merz spoke last week about “postponing” the system, even though Berlin had previously pushed for its implementation across the European Union.
On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a speech at the European Industry Forum in Antwerp. Among other topics, he addressed the need for changes to the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), a mechanism that politicians from the United Right coalition had warned against from the outset.
“It seems to be something of an elephant in the room, the ETS system. We have heard very clear statements on this matter both from colleagues in Eastern Europe and from the western parts of the European Union. […] It was introduced to reduce CO2 emissions while at the same time preventing companies from shifting to emission-free production. However, if this cannot be achieved and if it turns out not to be the right instrument, then we should openly discuss changing it, or at least postponing it,”
the German politician admitted.
“Poland Cannot Wait”
The Chancellor’s remarks sparked debate among Polish right-wing politicians. “Today, even Merz is beginning to talk about moving away from the ETS system. This political instrument, created in EU offices, has brought European industry to the brink of agony,” noted PiS MP Michał Moskal.
He emphasized that the system “has been costing Poland tens of billions of zlotys annually for years.” “This money does not come out of thin air, it is factored into electricity bills, heating costs, and the production of steel, cement, and fertilizers. Industry pays, local governments pay, families pay. It is a real tax imposed on economies based on conventional energy, including ours,” he stated.
“It is no secret that the system was perfectly aligned with German interests, particularly the reliance of its industry and energy sector on access to Russian gas. For countries like Poland, the ETS system is a millstone around the neck. […] Poland cannot wait for Brussels bureaucrats to make decisions that are necessary anyway. The time to leave the ETS system is now!”
he wrote.
#StopETS 🚨⚠️
— Michał Moskal (@Michal_Moskal) February 14, 2026
Dziś nawet Merz zaczyna mówić o odejściu od systemu ETS. Instrument polityczny stworzony w gabinetach UE doprowadził europejski przemysł do agonii.
System ETS od lat kosztuje Polskę dziesiątki miliardów złotych rocznie. Te pieniądze nie biorą się z powietrza – są… pic.twitter.com/mbp9B8UF6w
His post was also addressed by Przemysław Czarnek. The PiS vice-chairman stressed that decisions to abandon what he called the “nonsense of environmentalism” that undermines economic competitiveness are already being made in the United States. “For Poland, where energy prices are rising the fastest in Europe, the only solution is an immediate withdrawal from the ETS. This could mean up to PLN 30 billion in annual savings for our companies and significantly lower electricity bills for Polish families,” he underlined.
Amerykanie wycofują się z głupot ekologizmu ograniczających konkurencyjność ich gospodarki. Nawet Merz o tym mówi. Dla Polski, w której ceny energii rosną najszybciej w Europie, jedynym rozwiązaniem jest natychmiastowe wyjście z ETS. To nawet 30 mld zł rocznie oszczędności dla… https://t.co/8LsdTdempu
— Przemysław Czarnek (@CzarnekP) February 14, 2026
A New PiS Policy Proposal?
Czarnek’s remarks were in turn commented on by MP Dariusz Stefaniuk, who proposed that withdrawal from the system be formally included in the party’s program. “Today, this is plain to see. PiS must officially incorporate into its platform the immediate withdrawal from the ETS. Even unilaterally, just as other Central European countries, Slovakia or the Czech Republic, and today, France or Germany have done. Only in this way can we become competitive again,” he appealed.
His proposal was met with approval, and the reaction among PiS MPs to Merz’s remarks was unanimous.