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Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure PL-2020-10/1951 – measures in Poland

Social Security Institution's aid under the Anti-Crisis Shield amounts to PLN 37.5 billion

ZUS udzielił 37,5 mld zł wsparcia w ramach tarczy antykryzysowej udzieliliśmy 37,5 mld zł wsparcia na

Country Poland , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 01 March 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Supporting businesses to stay afloat
– Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation
Author Jan Czarzasty (Warsaw School of Economics)
Measure added 11 July 2021 (updated 21 July 2021)

Background information

The Social Security Institution (ZUS) has been in charge of administering some instruments within the anti-crisis policy measures since the outbreak of the pandemics in 2020. In particular, the Social Security Institution is to make decisions on deferrals of social security dues and granting stoppage allowances. In early summer of 2021 the Chair of the Social Security Institution disclosed a summary of ZUS activities within those two fields since the spring of 2020.

Content of measure

There is no specific content of the measure. The statement allows to have a glimpse on the scale of public aid channeled into enterprises by Social Insurance Institution since the outbreak of the pandemic. It is thus a valuable source of given general lack of comprehensive information on the aid granted and official evaluation thereof.

According to the statement by the Chair of the Social Security Institution, as of the end of June 2021 the amount of support from ZUS is PLN 37.5 billion. In order to channel the aid to the recipients, over 8 million applications were processed. The total value of deferrals of social security dues is reported at PLN 15.0 billion and stoppage allowances at PLN 6.4 billion.

Use of measure

The statement provides a useful point of reference for the studies and public discourse on the process of public aid granted under the anti-crisis measures. The Social Security Institution has proved to be transparent in sharing with the public the information on the scale of the public aid granted by itself.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Social insurance
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The decision to release the statement was not subject to any process involving social partners.

Views and reactions

There are no public statements or any other views released by the social partners regarding the case known.

Sources

  • 08 July 2021: The Chair of ZUS: under the anti-crisis shield, we have provided PLN 37.5 billion in support (www.bankier.pl)
  • 09 July 2021: Anti-crisis shield: ZUS granted support for PLN 37.5 billion (www.zus.pl)

Citation

Eurofound (2021), Social Security Institution's aid under the Anti-Crisis Shield amounts to PLN 37.5 billion, measure PL-2020-10/1951 (measures in Poland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/PL-2020-10_1951.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.