European Commission has put forward a recommendation to release 5 billion euros ($5.45 billion) in advance payments to Poland under the REPowerEU program. The funds are intended to support Poland's energy transition efforts, fostering diversification away from Russian fossil fuels.
This financial injection is separate from the 35.4 billion euros allocated through grants and loans from the EU's COVID-19 recovery fund. Notably, the disbursement of these recovery funds is contingent on Poland rolling back certain reforms criticized for jeopardizing the independence of its judiciary system—a condition that has led to the suspension of the recovery funds.
Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, Grzegorz Puda, enthusiastically shared the news on the social media platform X, declaring, “5 billion euros in advances!”
Crucially, the REPowerEU funds do not hinge on compliance with the Commission's rule of law conditions, which are prerequisites for unlocking the remaining pandemic recovery funds and an additional 76.5 billion euros earmarked for enhancing living standards in economically challenged regions.
The availability of the 5 billion euros from REPowerEU awaits approval from European Union finance ministers, who are scheduled to convene on December 8th. This development underscores a proactive step by the European Commission to bolster Poland's energy transition goals independently of the ongoing discussions on judiciary reforms.
