On 25 September, the Polish government and trade unions reached an agreement to phase out coal mines by the year 2049. The agreement guarantees job preservation for mine workers and fosters the transition to clean energy. Poland is currently 80% dependent on coal for the production of its electricity. Coal mines are concentrated in the south of the country, employing more than 80,000 workers (compared with 400,000 in the early 1990s) and generating four times as many indirect jobs.
By penning this historic agreement, social partners opted for the so-called ‘German model’, meaning a gradual phasing out of coal over a number of years. The 13-point agreement stipulates that by 15 December 2020, a ‘social agreement’ on the operating rules for mining will be struck and presented to the European Commission for approval.
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