In December a new act, dated 27.11.2024, on the changing of the act on reasonable energy sources and other acts went into force aiming at development of pro-consumer energy technology and adjusting Polish provisions to the regulations and directives of the European Commission subject to public aid within renewable energy sources.
On 5.12.2023 the so – called “Central European Exchange Program for University Studies” was ratified by the Polish President and this Program will support an international mobility in the fields of education and professional development of students and academic professors.
In December the Parliament approved a new bill on 6.12.2024 according to which the day 24th of December – Christmas Eve – shall be deemed a public holiday and any trade on three consecutive Sundays preceding Christmas Eve shall be officially banned.
A new amendment was introduced within the act on electronic deliveries that brought also an additional period of transition – until 31.12.2025 – in which any persons and entities obliged to use and apply e-deliveries will have the opportunity to adapt to a new form of conducting correspondence gradually through the Document Management System (EZD). Within this interim the legislator will ensure the equivalence of correspondence delivery through the postal operator, ePUAP and through other domain systems with an e-delivery effect. Without any changes remains the obligation to obtain an e-delivery address by persons /entities indicated in the aforementioned act
December also saw changes to the act on aid to persons eligible for alimonies aligning the maximal amount of aid from the Alimony Fund to the present needs of persons seeking alimonies. The maximal account was raised from 500 PLN to 1000 PLN and the new rates will apply to alimonies awarded from the Alimony Fund after 30.09.2024.
New changes were also implemented to the Labor Code according to which parents of premature babies or babies hospitalized after birth will have the right to vacation (in addition to maternity leave), paternity leave and parental leave.
The act on packaging and waste management dated 13.06.2013 has been amended. New regulations concern the implementation of the so -called “deposit system” which is to be deemed the system in which when selling products in packaging for one-time beverages or reusable beverages a fee will be levied and then this fee will be refunded to the end – user when returning the packaging. This system is aimed at promoting recycling and re-use of packing materials. Every community must ensure that there will be at least one stationary collection point for end-users within the deposit system.
In December new provisions were introduced amending environmental law. The purpose of these new amendments is to support environmentally friendly initiatives at central and local governments focusing on the programs“ Clean Air” and “Stop Smog” to improve the air situation in cities and to support solid fuels from biomass in the light of the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment (“FEnIKS”)
December brought also important amendments to provisions about the calculation and payment of health insurance premiums for persons conducting non-agricultural business activities. According to a new law any income generated by an entrepreneur through the sale of tangible and intangible assets will not be taken into account while determining the base of tax.
The government intends to promote the generation of electricity from offshore wind farms through a new regulation and providing new (more flexible) rules for calculating the price for 1 MWh and adjusting them to the location of offshore wind farms. In addition to this a new law was enacted lifting restraints with regard to the hydrogen market in Poland within the so – called initiative “Constitution for Hydrogen”.
The Polish government implemented the DIRECTIVE (EU) 2022/738 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 6 April 2022 amending Directive 2006/1/EC on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road into Polish law. It is an important step to regulate these issues as the use of hired vehicles can reduce the cost of undertakings carrying goods on their own account or for hire or reward, and at the same time can increase their operational flexibility. It can therefore contribute to an increase in the productivity and competitiveness of the undertakings concerned. Moreover, as hired vehicles tend to be newer than the average fleet, they are on average also safer and less polluting.
