Poland Scraps Cash Payment Limits
Jul 24, 2023
Poland has U-turned on a plan to limit the maximum amount of cash transactions amid criticism from within the ruling coalition that said it would be an infringement of people’s freedoms aimed at pleasing ‘the banking lobby’.
Notes from Poland describes measures intended to come into force from 1 January 2024, that would have limited cash payments between businesses to 8,000 zloty (), and would have fixed payments from consumers to businesses at 20,000 zloty or less. In April, however, Sovereign Poland—a junior partner in Poland’s ruling coalition—submitted legislation to remove the limits.
Restrictions on cash mean social exclusion and financial exclusion. For the sake of freedom, security and cultural identity, we propose to maintain the current status quo.
Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Warhoł cited Central Bank research showing that more than 18 percent of adults in Poland do not have electronic payment cards, with the figure rising to 48 percent among those aged 65 and over.
Adam Glapiński, President of the National Bank of Poland, also spoke in favour of cash, calling on the government to ensure consumers have a legally guaranteed right to pay with banknotes and coins.
[Limiting cash payments] may lead to the exclusion of certain social groups—above all the elderly and people with disabilities—from participation in economic transactions, and also from the possibility of satisfying basic needs [such as] food and medicine.
In June, Sovereign Poland’s legislation was overwhelmingly approved by the lower house of parliament, with 438 votes in favour and just eight against.
We managed to defend the freedom of Poles to have cash… [and] the right to choose. If someone wants to use electronic money, no one forbids it, but if someone does not want to, they should have the right to use cash, which is a kind of symbol of sovereignty.