New rules for affected beneficiaries

The upper house did not introduce amendments to the act on aid for beneficiaries of the Clean Air programme, i.e. natural persons who incurred losses while implementing this project (Senate backed the act on support for people harmed by unreliable contractors in the Clean Air programme – Ministry of Climate and Environment). The vote ended with unanimous support. The aim of the provisions is to protect homeowners from having to repay money that unreliable thermal modernisation contractors defrauded from them (They fell into the prefinancing trap. The act will help the defrauded, but omits one group – farmer.pl) (Senate passes special aid act for affected homeowners in “Clean Air” without amendments – wnp.pl)).

Conditions for suspending repayment

The suspension of repayment depends on two actions. The first is the initiation of criminal proceedings concerning an offence of which the beneficiary was a victim, with the perpetrator being a contractor or a third party, in connection with the co-financing agreement. The fund may then suspend the recovery of unsettled prefinancing.

The act also provides for the possibility of writing off receivables and for funds to pursue claims against fraudsters.

Group omitted from the act

The industry portal points out that the new law will cover people who were defrauded, but not all groups of affected persons. There is no information in the available sources about the details of the omitted group.

What's next

The act is awaiting the President's signature. Only after it enters into force will beneficiaries be able to use the mechanisms described.