Governing Board of the Polish Committee for Electricity (PKEE) adopted the summary of activities for 2021.

The Polish Electricity Association (PKEE) is an association of the power sector, whose activities focus on issues related to the functioning of the power industry in a modern market economy. PKEE actively engages in activities and projects which enable the Polish power sector to better respond to the challenges of European integration, ensure security of electricity supply, develop and streamline competitive market rules, support activities in the area of environmental protection and stimulate development of modern technologies.

Additionally, PKEE actively supports the development of the Polish power sector by exerting expert and opinion-making influence on the development of a rational and development-friendly regulatory environment, both in Poland and at the forum of European Union institutions. It is the only organization representing the interests of the Polish power sector in the Union of the Electricity Industry - EURELECTRIC. PKEE in Poland provides an important forum for discussion on the power industry, cooperates with public administration, willingly and actively participates in public consultations on draft legislation and initiatives affecting the industry. The Headquarters and Office of the Association is located in Warsaw, and the PKEE office (representation) operates in Brussels.

In 2021, PKEE conducted numerous activities at home and abroad despite the difficulties arising from the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. Last year, PKEE carried out a number of effective initiatives and participated in many undertakings in the area of regulation and communication, expressing and representing the voice of the Polish energy sector on such important issues as

• European Green Deal;
• The 'Fit for 55' legislative package;
• The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS);
• EU climate targets and ambitions for 2030;
• GHG emission reduction target for 2030;
• Just Transition Fund;
• Modernisation Fund;
• Social Climate Fund;
• Sustainable finance;
• Non-financial reporting;
• Revision of the ETD (on the taxation of energy products and electricity);
• Further development of RES, including - revision of the RED Directive (on energy from renewable sources);
• Energy efficiency, including - revision of the EED (Energy Efficiency Directive);
• CO₂ border price adjustment mechanism (so-called CBAM) - establishment of a border carbon tax;
• District heating and cogeneration;
• Energy storage;
• European climate law;
• Renovation Wave Strategy;
• EU sectoral integration strategy;
• EU hydrogen strategy;
• EU strategy for offshore renewable energy;
• Trans-European Energy Network (TEN-E Regulation);
• Directive on the development of alternative fuels infrastructure (so-called AFID);
• Industrial Emissions Directive;
• EU Reconstruction and Resilience Facility and the Next Generation EU Reconstruction Fund;
• GBER Regulation on conditions for granting public aid;
• The issue of taxation of energy products and electricity;
• Tariffing of energy;
• The problem of rising energy generation costs and energy price increases for end consumers;
• Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector in Poland and Europe.

The Association carried out analyses of subsequent versions of legal acts on the national and EU level and prepared proposals of changes, remarks and comments to the wording of the regulations being processed based on the postulates of the Association Members. The proposals for legislative solutions agreed within the framework of PKEE, in the part concerning EU regulations, were also presented in the form of sector postulates to decision-makers and other stakeholders on the national and EU forum, including representatives of the Polish administration, the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The key topic from the perspective of the energy sector in Poland in the area of regulation and analysis in 2021 was the Legislative Package "Fit for 55" presented by the European Commission on 14 July 2021. PKEE analysed the entire Package, actively participated in the consultations of documents conducted by the European Commission and in the works on the forum of Eurelectric - the European industry association for the power sector. PKEE also developed expert materials in the context of opportunities and threats for the Polish energy sector resulting from the regulations being processed within the "Fit for 55" Package, along with specific legislative proposals. These materials were distributed to a wide range of stakeholders and decision makers.

In 2021. PKEE participated in participating in opinions on key strategic documents related to the energy sector and legislative proposals, among others:

1. Revision of the Directive ETS and a market reserve mechanism (IAS);
2. Revision of the Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (REDIII);
3. The revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED);
4. Revision of the directive on the taxation of energy products and electricity (ETD);
5. Regulation on the establishment of a border carbon tax (CBAM);
6. Regulation establishing a Social Climate Fund (SCF);
7. Industrial Emissions Directive;
8. Directive on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD);
9. Delegated act regarding non-financial reporting related to sustainable finance (taxonomy);
10. Revision of the guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy-related objectives (EEAG);
11. Guidelines on State aid for climate and environmental protection and energy-related objectives (CEEAG);
12. Revision of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER);
13. Draft regulation on the development of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR);
14. European Strategy for the Development of Offshore Wind Energy;
15. EU methane strategy;
16. Amendment of the Energy Law and the Law on Renewable Energy Sources;
17. Draft Programme European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment (FEnIKS).

In order to broaden communication and promote regulatory solutions and postulates important for the Polish energy sector, last year PKEE prepared sixty written positions, communications and opinions presenting a common voice of the energy sector in Poland. The postulates of PKEE were additionally presented at the European level through PKEE contribution to EURELECTRIC positions. PKEE closely cooperated with Eurelectric in the development of the 38 positions and comments reported in the consultation.

It is worth emphasising that out of 82 main activities which in 2021 PKEE undertook in the area of regulation, analysis and expertise, as many as 77 were successfully carried out solely thanks to PKEE's own expert and analytical resources. This constitutes 94% activity in response to the main regulatory challenges during the period described.

Of the 82 listed major PKEE activities in the regulatory area: 10 were "comments on projects, participation in consultations, opinions", 2 - "analyses, reports", 14 - "PKEE positions, communications submitted directly to the EC and EP", 38 - "participation in Eurelectric positions" and 18 - "other activities, projects". In addition to the above main activities - PKEE also conducted ongoing analytical work.

Among the main publications and articlesthat came out in 2021 under the PKEE banner are worth mentioning A special report on energy poverty, produced in cooperation with Euractiv.

In 2021, PKEE organised (and co-organised) 12 relevant events for the sector, including high-level debates: on the functioning of the EU ETS organised in cooperation with Politico ('The coming shakeup of the EU Emissions Trading System'),jointly with Euractiv on the topic of renewable energy sources and modern technologies and the financial needs arising from the energy transition process ('Hydrogen, Sun, wind: Which ones can make the best contribution to Europe's energy transformation?'), and a debate in cooperation with Energy Post on financing a just transition ('Fit for 55: financing a successful transition across Europe'). PKEE also cooperated with the World Bank on the initiative "Support for Polish Coal Regions in Transition".. It is also worth noting continuing the good cooperation of PKEE with the Polish Representation to the European Union in Brussels.

PKEE's 45 main activities in the area of communication and event organisation in 2021 consisted of: 23 publications (including: 16 press releases, 6 articles and 1 expert special report) and 12 official events (organised or co-organised by PKEE).

The year 2021 was another period of major challenges for the energy sector in Poland and across Europe. A coronavirus pandemic, rising costs of electricity generation, legislative and financial challenges related to the energy transition - these are just some of them. The Polish Electricity Committee worked intensively, representing the Polish energy sector at national and EU forums.