Environmentalists have criticized Poland’s plans to give away tens of millions of carbon emission permits to new power stations which would amount to billions of euro's in subsidies for new coal power plants locking more coal in the Polish energy mix. The EU's climate Chief Connie Hedegaard says she is not worried for the time being but the decision will be scrutinized by all 26 EU states.

Poland has major problems in aligning its high carbon (coal) economy with the EU 2020 targets of cutting emissions of Power plants and industry; Environmentalists estimate that Poland will get permits for 35 million tones of carbon emission each year which is close to the entire annual emissions of countries such as Norway or Slovakia.

Poland and other Central Eastern European counties are in disagreement as it deeply effect there carbon intensive, coal powered economies. The EU has offered to allow to grant up to 70% of these permits for free in 2013 which will be gradually reduced to zero by 2020.