# Environmental Protection Law – integrated permits, fees, penalties

Act of 27 April 2001 – Environmental Protection Law (Prawo ochrony środowiska)

- Status: Amendments pending
- Legal order: Poland
- Legal area: Industrial emissions and permits
- Dz.U. 2025 poz. 647 (consolidated text), as amended
- Business profile: Mining, Smelting, Semi-fabrication, Recycling, Scrap trade

## In brief

Principal act for NF metal installations: integrated permit (transposition of the IED), emission measurements, fees for use of the environment, administrative fines, National PRTR Register.

## Key obligations

- integrated permit for installations listed in the regulation issued under Art. 201(2) (Art. 201(1))
- meeting BAT requirements and not exceeding the emission limit values set in the BAT conclusions (Art. 204(1))
- informing the authority and the Regional Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) without delay of a breach of the conditions of the integrated permit (Art. 211(2))
- periodic and continuous emission measurements; submission of results to the authority and WIOŚ (Art. 147(1)–(2), Art. 149(1))
- self-assessment and payment of the fee by 31 March and statement to the Marshal of the Voivodeship (Art. 284(1), Art. 285(2), Art. 286(1))
- PRTR report to WIOŚ by 31 March of the following year (Art. 236b(1)(1))

## Competent authority

Marshal of the Voivodeship, district head (starosta), Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) (Art. 378); Regional Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) – inspections and fines (Art. 298, Art. 316); Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (GIOŚ) – National PRTR Register (Art. 236a(2))

## Penalties

Administrative fines imposed by WIOŚ for exceeding emissions of gases/dust and noise (Art. 298(1)); fee increased by 500% in the absence of a permit (Art. 292); operation without a permit – detention, restriction of liberty or a fine (Art. 351); suspension of the installation (Art. 365).

## Entry into force

01.10.2001

## Application

consolidated text of 9.05.2025; subsequent amendments, inter alia, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1080, 1812, 1863; 2026 poz. 176, 426, 605, 607, 635, 912, 982, 1157

## Key dates

- 31.12.2025: entry into force of Art. 211a(1) as amended – testing of an emerging technique for up to 30 months (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1812)
- 08.10.2026: passing by the Sejm of the deregulation bill in print No 3001 (amendment of Art. 215 and Art. 380)

## Pending changes

1) Sejm print No 3001 (UDER44): abandonment of the review of the permit following publication of BAT conclusions – request to apply for an amendment within one year or for an analysis within 3 months (Art. 215); passed by the Sejm on 8.10.2026, Senate stage. 2) Draft UC99 – transposition of IED 2.0 (see pl-projekt-ied2). 3) Draft UC146 – Seveso (see pl-pos-awarie).

## Related acts

- [Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-ied/)
- [BAT conclusions – non-ferrous metals industries (NFM)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-bat-nfm/)
- [Industrial Emissions Portal Regulation (IEPR, replacing E-PRTR)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-iepr/)
- [Draft POŚ amendment implementing IED 2.0 (UC99)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-projekt-ied2/)
- [Act on the emissions management system (KOBiZE National Database)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-kobize/)
- [Act on the Inspection for Environmental Protection (inspections)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-ios/)
- [POŚ – prevention of major industrial accidents (Seveso)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-pos-awarie/)
- [EIA Act – decision on environmental conditions](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-oos/)
- [Act on the prevention and remedying of environmental damage](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-szkody/)
- [Water Law – water-law permits for industrial waste water](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-prawo-wodne/)

## Official sources

- [Text of the act](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20010620627)
- [Consolidated text](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20250000647)
- [ISAP / Sejm API – POŚ, consolidated text Dz.U. 2025 poz. 647 and amending acts](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2001/627)
- [Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1812 – amendment of Art. 211a POŚ](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2025/1812/text.pdf)
- [Sejm – print No 3001 and course of the procedure](https://www.sejm.gov.pl/Sejm10.nsf/PrzebiegProc.xsp?nr=3001)
- [RCL – draft UDER44](https://legislacja.gov.pl/projekt/12401951)

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Register as of: 22.10.2026. The official text of the act prevails. IGMNiR. On the website: https://igmnir.org/en/law/#akt-pl-pos