Tag: Poland

The Czech Republic escaped from recession in the second quarter while the European Union's other bigger eastern economies improved, though still looking short of consumer optimism needed to drive a stronger upturn

The European Union needs to strengthen itself internally if it is to become a global power, two former EU commissioners and an ex-president of the European Parliament told a conference in Warsaw. EurActiv Poland reports.

A senior European Commission official has poured cold water on claims that a shale gas boom in Europe would result in de-facto low gas prices. 

Speakers at a conference held recently in Warsaw criticised EU energy policies especially those favouring expensive green energy, but also admitted that the country was not sure what kind of energy mix it wants. EurActiv Poland reports.

Poland indicated that the country’s decision to adopt the euro would be taken after the presidential and parliamentary elections due in 2015. No tentative target dates were set, but economists estimate the country could switch to the common currency in 2016-2017.

Regional co-operation around the Baltic has helped spur trade growth, but more co-operation is needed, especially with Russia, if the region is to avoid the sea from becoming over-fished and polluted, argue two foreign ministers.

Few environmentalists would see Poland as an energy efficiency champion, but noises from Warsaw point towards an unlikely repositioning by the fiercest opponent of the EU's decarbonisation strategy.

With Prime Minister David Cameron having vowed to hold a referendum on UK membership of the EU, Britain's penchant for EU bashing is well publicised. But there are political parties in other member states which are far from in love with the European project, and whose stance against integration has been fanned by the worsening of the economic crisis.

The lack of liberalisation of the energy and low-carbon energy market is one of the factors contributing to the lack of investment in Poland's chemical industry, says Wojciech Lubiewa-Wieleżyński.

EXCLUSIVE: This year’s annual European coal industry conference in Brussels is being co-organised by the Central European Energy Partners (CEEP), which was founded by, and is mostly made up of, state-owned Polish energy firms.

The next EU step for Poland should be joining the eurozone within three to five years. It would be dangerous for the EU if Poland does not take that step, says Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

In the last 20 years, Poland and Central Europe in general have changed their economies and societies on a unique scale compared to other EU countries. These newer EU countries can teach the others lessons on how to conduct and implement reforms,  Zygmunt Berdychowski, chairman of the Krynica Economic Forum Programme Council, tells EurActiv Poland in an exclusive interview.

EXCLUSIVE: At least one of the coal plants for which Poland is requesting €7 billion of free carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)’s little-known ‘10c derogation’ does not exist, a EurActiv investigation has found.

Big EU countries such as France and Germany suggest that Poland should reduce its dependence on coal for its electricity. But Mieczysław Kasprzak explains why coal is so important to the country. 

Poland may consider issuing special bonds to help its state-owned firms finance shale gas development as the EU seeks to gain more independence from costly Russian supplies, the country’s treasury minister said in an interview. 

The European Commission’s latest economic forecast ranked Poland as the fastest developing EU member state in 2012, although it revised the country's growth estimate downwards for 2013. But analysts appear much more optimistic than the EU executive and insist that the Polish economy will do even better next year.

The International Monetary Fund said yesterday (18 April) it had raised $320 billion (€244 billion) so far in a bid to boost its firepower to deal with the eurozone debt crisis, with Poland and Switzerland joining the effort. 

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė has turned down an invitation to a regional summit in Poland after Warsaw protested the situation of the Polish minority in the Baltic state. EurActiv Poland reports.

Poland and Ukraine have completed preparations to co-host the Euro 2012 European Football Championship, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Mykola Azarov.

Friday’s meeting of EU environment ministers is being pushed to the brink of crisis by a Polish rejection of any mention of the EU's Low Carbon Roadmap for 2050, which foresees up to 95% emissions cuts by mid-century.

The trio of EU Council presidencies "is a joke" - at least in the current form that groups Poland, Denmark and Cyprus, three countries with completely different agendas - says a prominent Brussels-based political analyst.

Poland, long seen as promoting a common European approach to shale gas, has now published a surprising study describing possible EU regulation on the industry as "unfeasible".

Poland is trying to broker a face-saving deal for Romania's and Bulgaria's accession to the European Union's borderless Schengen area. Under the compromise the two countries would first have barriers at airports and maritime ports removed, while maintaining land restrictions until after the French elections, diplomats told EurActiv.