2025-09-16 11:00
publication
2025-09-16 11:00
Injection of cash for an electric bike? Up to PLN 4,500 surcharges? Such promises have been electrified Poles for a long time. All thanks to the “My electric bike” program. The announcements were noisy, but the last reports were rather dispeling doubts. The program crashed on money, or more precisely it is about it.
The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) spoke for the first time about the program of subsidies for electrical bikes in 2024. At that time, consultations, within which over 500 comments were submitted, including doubts from the European Investment Bank, a key financial partner. Despite this, NFOŚiGW did not give up the idea, promising to continue work.
February this year brought another wave of hope. The fund again sent the program to consult, revealing its detailed assumptions. According to documents published at that time, up to PLN 50 million was to be allocated to the program. The co -financing was to cover up to 50 percent. costs, but not more than PLN 2,500 per e-bike and PLN 4,500 for a transport bike (cargo) and an electric bicycle stroller. Importantly, the support was to apply only to vehicles produced in the European Union with CE certificate.
These ambitious announcements ignited the imagination and caused an avalanche of queries on the internet: “When does my electric bike start?” “where to submit a request?” Manufacturers and sellers competed in assurances that their equipment meets the program requirements.
Subsidies for an electric bike were on the horizon
In the summer of 2025, the NFEPs cooled down the mood. In the published communiqué “Status of the My Electric Bike Program” announced that the program “has already undergone public consultations”, but “arrangements with the Ministry of the Climate and Environment are underway.
At the same time, the fund clearly announced that the call for proposals is not carried out, and all reports about the possibility of their assembly are misleading. The NFEPWW suggested that the program may not start at all, stating that “any decisions to launch new programs will always be announced in official messages.”
Stabilizing expenditure rule – end of dreams of subsidies?
A little earlier, at the beginning of June, 2 MPs submitted an interpellation, in which they asked, among others for the start date and the possibility of expanding it to entrepreneurs. The answer from the Ministry of the Climate and the Environment was delayed in time, and when it was finally obtained, it turned out to be disappointing.
Deputy Minister Krzysztof Bolesta in response of September 4, 2025 clearly pointed to the key obstacle. NFOŚiGW finances are covered by a stabilizing expenditure rule in accordance with the Public Finance Act. This means that the fund must comply with the limits specified by the Minister of Finance – Portal Praw.pl passed.
As we read in the official letter: “Launching any new NFOŚiGW programs will be possible taking into account these financial restrictions, taking into account the entire financial obligations of the NFOŚiGW.”
What is a stabilizing expenditure rule?
– The stabilizing expenditure rule is a mechanism on the basis of which the expenditure limit of public finance sector units is calculated for each budget year, including the NFOŚiGW expenditure limit. The limit is binding for the NFEPW and the effect of its use may be a reduction in the number of programs or resources to be used within individual programs – explains Bartłomiej Tkaczyk, legal advisor from Legally.smart in an interview with law.
The patron explains that if the “My electric bike” program was to be financed from national funds, then the lack of its launch can actually be associated with the restrictions resulting from the stabilizing expenditure rule. With the fact that this situation is not something new for the fund, which for the first time was subject to the application of the rule in the budget year 2023. – The provisions of art. 112aa of the Public Finance Act, however, are amended annually for the needs of subsequent budget years. The changes concern, among others mathematical design used to calculate the expenditure limit – reserves Tkaczyk.
The Fitch agency didn't help?
Maciek Stańczyk, an BCC expert for energy and energy transformation in an interview with Prawa.pl estimates that financial markets are already reacting to a reduction in the perspective of Poland's rating from neutral to negative by the Fitch agency. “Poland's credit risk is growing, and soon social transfers in cash will reach 18 % of GDP (in Sweden it is 11 %),” he says. In his opinion, the reaction should be cutting expenses and tax increases.
– I am not surprised, therefore, that the government will not accept new expenses because it cannot. This is by no means budget cynicism, but realism after taking the course by the previous government for a collision with an iceberg. It just so happened that the first victim of the necessary abstinence of the government's expenditure became electric bikes, but this is just the beginning of the necessary cuts in many other programs and those planned and currently implemented. The government has just lost its fiscal space – sums up the BCC expert.
Ed. Jm
