Poland Moves Closer to Shale Gas

Poland’s Minister of the Environment Maciej Grabowski said that a draft law on shale gas would be ready by the end of the year.

"We would like the law facilitating investment in shale to be passed as soon as possible to reduce the potential risk for investors," Grabowski told newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. 

Grabowski, who recently replaced Marcin Korolec at the helm of the Ministry, said that the law would not cover the taxation regime. According to the Environment Minister, the Finance ministry will legislate on shale gas taxes in a separate bill. 

The law by the Environment Ministry is expected on to the government’s table before the end of the year. The government will have to approve it later on.

Analysts welcomed the news positively, seeing a simplification of the procedures to explore for shale gas in Poland.