President Karol Nawrocki addressed Prime Minister Donald Tusk ahead of Thursday’s European Council meeting, stressing that reform of the ETS directive should include a complete abandonment of the ETS2 system. “After twenty years of this mechanism in operation, it must be honestly acknowledged that its balance for the competitiveness of European industry is dramatically negative.”, the statement reads.
As previously announced, on Tuesday President Nawrocki – under the Act on cooperation between the President, the Council of Ministers, and the Sejm and Senate – submitted his position to Tusk ahead of the upcoming European Council. The document contains specific proposals for changes to the ETS.
Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka commented dismissively on the president’s initiative.
“Well, that’s fine. I understand that some letter will arrive on this matter. Okay,” Szłapka said on Graffiti on Polsat News.
“A dramatically negative balance”
The president’s position was published on X by Karol Rabenda, Undersecretary of State at the Chancellery of the President.
“Twenty years of the ETS system and the results are clear: Europe is losing industry, jobs, and competitiveness. Production is moving outside the EU, while global emissions… are rising.”, Rabenda wrote.
“After twenty years of this mechanism in operation, it must be honestly acknowledged that its balance for the competitiveness of European industry is dramatically negative.”, the president’s statement reads.
“Departure from the EU ETS system”
Key issues raised in the document were outlined by Rafał Leśkiewicz, the president’s press secretary.
“We are witnessing a phenomenon that history will remember as the great deindustrialization of Europe and the flight of industry from our continent. Warnings have been coming for a long time, and the conclusions from the European Industrial Summit are alarming. This is a dramatic cry for help for the future of Europe’s manufacturing base and the stability of the entire Community. In this situation, the most rational solution from the perspective of Europe’s economic and strategic interests would be to abandon the EU ETS system. This would immediately reduce cost pressure on industry, restore more balanced conditions for global trade, and halt the ongoing process of deindustrialization.”, it was written.
It was emphasized that the ETS has led to a drastic increase in energy bills for Polish households, which have borne enormous costs of climate policy for years – and will bear even greater ones in connection with the planned introduction of ETS2 in 2028, covering the buildings sector, road transport, and other fuel consumption areas. It was assessed that the introduction of ETS2 is fundamentally flawed both from the perspective of economic stability and social justice.
“Therefore, the reform of the ETS directive should include a complete abandonment of the ETS2 system. I expect the Polish government to adopt a position that fully protects Poles from the further consequences of climate policy. The directions of action I have presented are a way to reduce energy costs. The result of such a policy will be increased competitiveness of Polish industry, as well as savings in the wallets of Poles. I am convinced that this should be Poland’s position presented at the European Council.”, the statement reads.