Finance Minister Andrzej Domański appealed at the EU forum for a radical reduction in energy prices, pointing to a dramatic decline in the competitiveness of the European manufacturing sector. He argued that high costs have already led to the loss of 100,000 jobs in the chemical industry alone. Meanwhile, the EBRD raised its GDP growth forecast for Poland to 3.7% in 2026, recognizing the economy's resilience to external supply shocks.

Appeal for cheaper energy

Andrzej Domański points to high energy costs as the main cause of the loss of competitiveness of EU industry on global markets.

Higher GDP forecasts

The EBRD raised its economic growth forecast for Poland to 3.7% in 2026, despite global market uncertainties.

Collapse in agriculture

The average debt of farmers exceeds 700 days, signaling a deep liquidity crisis in the food production sector.

EastInvest fund

The European Commission is launching €20 billion in loans for border regions, supporting the resilience of local economies.

During deliberations in Brussels, Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański presented a pessimistic diagnosis of the state of European processing. According to the head of the ministry, the key development barrier is drastically high energy costs, which put EU companies at a disadvantage against global competition. The minister emphasized that a lack of decisive action in this area threatens further deindustrialization of the continent, citing data on a reduction of 100,000 jobs in the chemical sector over the last four years. Poland is actively seeking support from member states to locate the headquarters of EUCA in Warsaw, which would strengthen the country's position within the community structures. „To restore the competitiveness of European industry, we must lower energy prices. This is our key challenge.” — Andrzej Domański Since the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European Union countries have been grappling with permanently higher gas and electricity prices compared to the US or China, forcing a revision of the previous economic model based on cheap raw materials from the East. Despite the difficult situation in industry, EBRD revised upwards its growth forecasts for Poland, estimating GDP dynamics at 3.7% in 2026. However, bank analysts point to the risk of weaker foreign demand, which is confirmed by data from the Bureau of Investments and Economic Cycles showing no improvement in the inflow of new orders. Concurrently, in the banking sector, discussion is growing over the impact of the planned increase in the CIT rate to 30% in 2026. Although voices in the media have suggested a possible drastic drop in bank profits, experts assess that stable lending activity and the high capital resilience of the sector should cushion the negative effects of tax changes and forecasted interest rate cuts. 100 tys. — jobs lost in the EU chemical sector The market situation is complemented by reports of the difficult condition of agriculture, where the average farmer is in arrears on debt repayments for over 700 days. Meanwhile, the European Commission announced the establishment of the EastInvest loan instrument worth €20 billion, dedicated to supporting border regions, which is of key importance for Poland's eastern voivodeships. On the Warsaw Stock Exchange, a correction was recorded, mainly driven by declines in the valuations of KGHM and PZU, while maintaining positive long-term prospects for the entire market.

Mentioned People

  • Andrzej Domański — Finance Minister of Poland, appealing in Brussels for lower energy prices for industry.