PiS candidate Przemysław Czarnek gives Prime Minister Donald Tusk 14 days to present legislation for Poland’s withdrawal from the EU’s ETS carbon trading system.
ETS System and Czarnek’s Criticism
ETS is a system for trading CO2 emission rights and one of the main tools of EU climate policy. The mechanism introduced by the European Union was created to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In 2028, ETS 2 will come into effect, covering sectors including transport and construction.
Law and Justice party candidate for prime minister Przemysław Czarnek has spoken negatively about the functioning mechanism. At a press conference near the Żerań combined heat and power plant in Warsaw, Czarnek stated that the system is the reason for a significant increase in energy bills for Poles.
14-Day Deadline for Tusk
“We are near a combined heat and power plant that produces energy from coal, but this will soon end. To return to significantly lower energy bills, we must say once again – away with ETS, away with this Brussels scam. Poland cannot continue to be an ATM for EU climate policy,” Czarnek noted.
During the conference, the PiS candidate for prime minister emphasized the inconsistency of ETS with law. “Prime Minister Beata Szydło challenged the decision to the Court of Justice of the European Union, but the CJEU issued a political ruling,” he said. “We didn’t stop there. We filed an application with the Constitutional Tribunal and on June 10, 2025, the TK ruled that the decision to introduce ETS, that is, the system of trading emission rights, is inconsistent with the treaties because it was not taken unanimously. In connection with this, Poland was deprived of the right of veto,” he added.
Constitutional Challenge to ETS
Czarnek announced that he would submit to the Sejm a resolution on Poland’s exit from ETS. “Away with ETS. Away with this Brussels scam. Poland cannot be an ATM for EU climate policy. And that’s what it is. We need to exit ETS because it is illegal in Poland,” he emphasized.
“Prime Minister Tusk likes resolutions. This will be the position of the Sejm, in which Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his government will be obliged within 14 days to present draft legislation on the basis of which Poland will exit ETS. We call for all actions in this direction, and first and foremost for the publication of the TK ruling of June 10, 2025,” he noted.
Poland’s Energy Dependence
As Czarnek emphasized, exiting ETS would lower energy bills for Poles. “Poland cannot remain in ETS because we rely on coal. 55% of Polish energy is still coal. Therefore, these absurd and scandalous emission rights and trading in these rights lead to the exploitation of Poles. It cannot be that Poles are ATMs for the EU’s left-wing climate policy. Stop EU eco-terrorism,” he said.
When asked when he would remove the photovoltaic panels from his roof, the politician responded: “I will remove that abomination as soon as I pay it off and as soon as I exit this project period – or rather, when my wife exits,” he answered and debunked reports that his party was seeking Poland’s exit from the European Union.
Denial of ‘Polexit’ Claims
“Tusk has one topic: imaginary polexit. Poland was, is and will be in the European Union. But we must treat the European Union as Germany does: for our own interests,” he concluded.