Martyna Robakowska | In Principle

Restrictions introduced by individual member states to limit the spread of coronavirus also have a significant impact on businesses involved in international shipment of waste. The European Commission has taken steps to harmonise approaches of individual states to these issues and make it easier for businesses to access the specific new rules in force in each country.

For obvious reasons, remote signing of contracts has assumed great significance recently. To conclude a contract, is it sufficient to exchange a few emails or to transmit electronically signed documents? It depends.

Plastic straws, disposable utensils, and certain types of containers for food and drink will disappear from store shelves across the European Union by 3 July 2021 at the latest. The ban on their sale is one element in the EU’s battle with plastic waste flooding the world.

The new Water Law entered into force on 1 January 2018. Since then, the law has been amended several times, and one such amendment has just come into force. Some provisions of the act concerning water permits have been changed as of 20 September 2018. The system of fees for water services has also been slightly modified. Moreover, several dozen changes have clarified these regulations.

On 9 July an amendment to the Civil Code will come into force concerning the statute of limitations. The general time limit after which claims will expire will be reduced to 6 years, while in most cases expiry will take effect from the last day of the calendar year. The rules applicable to expiry of claims of businesses against consumers will also change significantly.

On 7 June 2018 the Government Legislation Centre published a proposal for amendment of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate Act and certain other acts on its website. Under the proposal, the Environmental Protection Inspectorate’s powers would be substantially broadened and administrative fines provided for in environmental laws increased.

A bill has been submitted to the Sejm proposing major changes to the procedure for classification of objects or substances as by-products. If the amendment is passed, this will have a negative impact on anybody who uses such products in their activity. All classifications of objects or substances as by-products performed under the current laws will expire six months after the new bill comes into force.

One of the most anticipated acts in the environmental arena has now been adopted: the new Water Law. This statute with 570 articles enters into force on 1 January 2018 and will fundamentally change the rules for water management in Poland.

A proposal for a long-promised act intended to facilitate the operation of businesses was published on the Government Legislation Centre website in February. The proposed Business Law contains a set of rules that would apply in administrative proceedings from as early as September 2017.

On 18 December 2015 the Dutch Court of Appeal at The Hague issued an interim judgment in a closely watched case concerning liability for environmental injury caused by an oil spill from Shell’s pipelines in Nigeria.

Practical remarks based on the regulations on the National Court Register and the Polish Classification of Activity.