Marlena Maląg – Minister of Family and Social Policy, Vice-President of the Social Dialogue Council took part in the plenary session of the Council, which was devoted to the energy transformation in Poland and the discussion on the Multiannual Financial Plan of the State.

The meeting took place on 19 May 2022 at the Social Partnership Centre „Dialog”. The meeting was attended by Bogna Janke – Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President, Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Piotr Pyzik – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of State Assets, Grzegorz Witkowski – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Piotr Patkowski – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Finance, Piotr Bromber – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health and Kamila Król – Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Development and  Technology.

In the first item of the Council meeting, min. Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński presented information on the energy transformation in Poland. He informed that in March 2022 the Council of Ministers adopted the assumptions for updating the „Energy Policy Polish until 2040”. The main changes to be introduced concern the issue of energy sovereignty. He stressed that there is a need to become independent of imports of Russian fossil fuels. He informed that the geopolitical situation has made the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline one of the most important investments for energy security Polish. It aims to create a new corridor for the supply of natural gas from Norwegian fields. In addition, he pointed to a significant acceleration in the development of the renewable energy sources (RES) sector. The Deputy Minister informed that gas reserves in our country are constantly growing, and the warehouses are already 90% full.

At the same point min. Piotr Pyzik informed about the document adopted on 1 March 2022 by the Council of Ministers: „Transformation of the power sector in Poland. Separation of generating coal assets from companies with the participation of the State Treasury”. It was created in order to adapt the state treasury’s energy companies to the challenges related to the energy transformation. It presents the concept of transformation consisting in the separation of conventional generation assets powered by coal to an entity that is a State Treasury company, operating under the name of the National Energy Security Agency („NABE”). After the separation of the generating coal assets, energy companies will focus on the implementation of low- and zero-emission investments and NABE will own the coal assets. He then raised the issue of the social contract. He informed that the government together with social partners is conducting talks on a social contract regarding the transformation of the power sector and the lignite mining industry, including the separation of generation and mining coal assets from State Treasury companies.

The next discussed point was the Multiannual Financial Plan of the State presented by min. Piotr Patkowski, who informed that this year the GDP growth rate is expected to slow down to 3.8%, and in the forecast horizon to 3.1%. According to the scenario, inflation will remain high in 2022, with an annual average of 9.1%, while in subsequent years it will gradually decline: 7.8% in 2023, 4.8% in 2024 and 3.5% in 2025. In addition, real GDP growth is expected to reach 3.8% in 2022 and 3.2% in 2023. He noted that the government’s actions aimed at mitigating the effects of inflation, including changes in the tax system, as well as support for Ukrainian refugees will be a significant burden on the general government sector this year. He stressed that in view of the persistence of high price dynamics, a package of anti-inflation measures aimed at reducing the inflation growth rate in 2022 and limiting the negative effects of the increased inflation level on households has been announced.  He also mentioned new burdens for the general government sector: in 2022, expenditure related to the influx of Ukrainian refugees and an additional increase in defence spending from 2023.

A discussion with the social partners followed. The social side drew attention to the issue of the method of proceeding with the minimum wage for work in the situation of a significant increase in inflation and the need to increase the amount in accordance with the Act on the minimum wage for work from January 1, 2023 and from July 1, 2023.

Minister Marlena Maląg, referring to the issue of the minimum wage for work, informed that in accordance with Article 3 of the Act on the minimum wage, if the price index forecast for the next year is at least 105% – two deadlines are set for changing the minimum wage and the minimum hourly rate: from January 1 and from July 1. Thus, she pointed out that the government is working on a proposal for the amount of the minimum wage for work for 2023, which will be proposed to the social partners by June 15 this year.

Source: https://www.gov.pl/web/dialog/posiedzenie-plenarne-rady-dialogu-spolecznego9

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