Poland may block the EU budget over ETS revenues

According to unofficial information from RMF FM, Poland is ready to block the EU budget for 2028–2034 if part of it were financed from revenue from emissions trading (ETS). That money currently stays in member states, while the European Commission wants 30% of revenue from allowance sales to go to the common EU budget. By its estimate, such a source would bring the EU budget an average of 9.6 billion euros a year in 2028–2034. With Poland's annual allowance-auction revenue at 3.8 billion euros, 30% would mean about 1.14 billion euros a year for Poland.

The issue will be on the agenda of the EU summit in Brussels at the end of this week, but no decisions have been taken. A high-ranking Polish diplomat told RMF FM: We are against. Full stop. Deputy Foreign Minister Ignacy Niemczycki said less wealthy countries would bear a relatively larger burden. New EU own resources require unanimity, so Poland could block the deal. The RMF FM headline also mentions a possible presidential veto.

In Poland, ETS is linked to energy prices: the indirect costs of the system are estimated at about 16% of the final electricity price on a household bill.