In May the provisions of the Act on Management of Land Communities were introduced. We know that there are many problems with water management in the context of the occurrence of droughts and floods that happened in Poland in the second half of 2024. The aim of the new law is designated to stipulate the area of land communities within a decision issued by the appropriate authorities on the basis of which the liability for damages and loss can be ruled out. The Polish legislator also introduced the means of so-called “flood money compensation” which is deemed to be financial aid provided to individuals or businesses that have suffered damage due to flooding, whether it’s insurance payouts, government assistance, or other relief programs. It’s t monetary compensation aimed at helping those affected by floods to recover from property damage, business losses, or other financial hardship caused by the event. The amount of the “flood money compensation” represents in general
• 70 % of the costs of renovation if the renovation is subject to a multi – family building
• 50% of the costs of t renovation in the case of remaining family buildings if the building is registered as a monument or is located in an area registered within the register of monuments.
Applications for flood money compensation shall be filed with the National Development Bank (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, abbreviation BGK)
In addition, new provisions concerning the public road law were also implemented in May of this year determining the area in which local communities may establish the so – called “paid parking zone”. These rules shall apply in particular to communities having more than 100 000 residents.
In May we also encountered amendments to the Act on State Emergency Medical Services aiming at the improvement of the system of medical service in emergency cases through for instance introduction of the following measures:
- age diversity within the teams of medical services,
- instructions concerning the planned hospital emergency departments and teams of medical services,
- new definitions of doctors and nurses acting in the emergency medical services sector and their obligation to attend courses on the treatment of persons in cases of sudden health threats
- the person providing first aid can, in an emergency, sacrifice the goods of another person, meaning to give up or forgo something valuable belonging to someone else, in order to save or improve the situation for them. This could involve anything from material possessions to personal comforts, done with the intent of benefiting the other person during a crisis,
- possibility for the payment of allowances for rescuers who provide shift work,
- the right of members of medical staff to attend courses in self -defense combat and de-escalation courses teaching the medical staff how to defuse potentially volatile situations before they escalate into full-blown conflict. They focus on using communication and behavioral techniques to calm individuals involved and prevent more aggressive actions. This also includes active listening, empathy, maintaining calm communication, and addressing the underlying causes of tension. Furthermore, the members of the medical team will have the right to receive psychological help provided by psychologists to address emotional, mental, and interpersonal challenges.
New changes were introduced to statutory provisions concerning foreigners in Poland and these changes were based on two main prerequisites:
Firstly the necessity of implementation of the Directive (EU) 2021 /1883 on conditions of entry to and residence in the European Union of non- EU nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment (“Directive”) that lays down the entry and residence conditions for and rights of highly qualified nationals from third countries and their families: (1) staying for more than 3 months in a EU Member State and (2) working in a Member State other than the one that first granted them an EU blue card.
The Directive’s scope is the following.
- It applies to non-EU nationals applying, or having applied, for highly qualified employment in a Member State.
- It does not apply to non-EU nationals:
- seeking international protection;
- carrying out a research project;
- who are granted long-term residence status in a Member State
- who are covered by an international agreement allowing a temporary stay, rights of free movement or whose expulsion has been suspended.
Applicants for an EU blue card must present:
- a valid work contract or a binding job offer for highly qualified employment for at least 6 months.
- documents confirming their professional qualifications.
- valid travel, and where required visa, documents.
- evidence of having applied for health insurance if this is not covered in the contract.
Secondly, the obligation of implementation of the following judgements issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union into Polish legal system:
Judgment of the Court of 12 November 2019: Zubair Haqbin v Federaal Agentschap voor de opvang van asielzoekers (Case – C – 233/18); Judgement of the Court of 1 August Ministero dell’Interno przeciwko T.O, (Case – C- 422/21); Judgement of the Court of 17 December 2020: G.M.A. v. État belge (Case – C – 710/19), Judgement of the Court of 1 August 2022 Bundesrepublik Deutschland v. X.C. (Case – C- 297/20), Judgement of the Court of 22 June 2023: Staatssecretaris van Justitie en Veiligheid (Case- C – 459 /20).
