Background information

As of May banks associated in the sectoral umbrella organisation, the Union of Polish Banks (Związek Banków POlskich, ZBP) offer their clients with open credit lines and mortgages a opportunity to file for a 'grace period' in paying installements for up to three months. This is the internal decision of the national banking association, which have nothing to do with the public policy measures under debate (as o 11 May).

Komunikat ZBP w sprawie działań pomocowych podejmowanych przez banki w związku z pandemią koronawirusa COVID-19.

Content of measure

Mortgage holders may apply to their respective creditors (banks) for a grace period of up to three months, during which period their monthly payments will be suspended (prolongated). As the measure serves only as a guidelines, each member bank may determine specific conditions of their own. In some banks the suspension/prolongation of payments applies only to capital, in others - extend it also to interest. Some banks stick to the suggested duration of three months, while others extend it to six months. The packages offered by banks are monitored by public authorities in order to prevent 'slipping in' of unfair clauses into the procedures.

Use of measure

According to the data released by ZBP, until the end of April some 800,000 applications have been submitted to the banks.

Target groups

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

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Employers' organisations	Companies

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

ZBP is formally not employers' organisation, thus it is not a social partner.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 16 March 2020: ZBP Communication regarding the assitance provided by banks in the context of the COVID 19 pandemics (www.zbp.pl)