Poland EPPO Investigates Clean Air Programme Fraud
Summary
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Katowice conducted evidence-gathering searches across national and provincial public institutions in Poland as part of an investigation into suspected fraud in the Clean Air programme. The programme provides subsidies to homeowners for replacing polluting heating systems and improving energy efficiency in residential buildings, co-funded by CINEA. The investigation follows media reports pointing to potential design flaws that may have enabled dishonest contractors to fraudulently obtain funds and harm programme beneficiaries.
“The investigation has been initiated by the EPPO following media reports and related available information, pointing at potential design flaws in the Clean Air programme, which would have enabled dishonest contractors to fraudulently obtain funds and cause harm to thousands of programme beneficiaries.”
Government agencies and contractors participating in EU-funded subsidy programmes should examine their programme design and contractor oversight controls for vulnerabilities that could enable fraudulent fund extraction. The explicit reference to 'design flaws' as an enabling factor — rather than purely contractor misconduct — suggests that agencies administering similar schemes should review their eligibility verification, technical inspection, and payment-disbursement procedures proactively.
What changed
EPPO has opened a criminal investigation into potential fraud affecting the Clean Air programme, a major Polish national subsidy scheme co-funded by the EU. Evidence-gathering searches were carried out in national and provincial public institutions following media reports of design flaws that allegedly allowed dishonest contractors to fraudulently obtain funds. The facts under investigation may constitute abuse of power or dereliction of duty by public officials.\n\nEU member state agencies administering or co-administering EU-funded subsidy programmes should review their programme design and contractor oversight controls. The involvement of CBA and OLAF alongside EPPO indicates multi-agency coordination on fraud affecting EU financial interests, with potential implications for programme beneficiaries and contractors who may be called as witnesses or subject to further investigation.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Published on
21 April 2026
In Polish below / Po polsku poniżej
(Luxembourg, 21 April 2026) – At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Katowice (Poland), evidence-gathering searches were carried out today in national and provincial public institutions across Poland, as part of an investigation into possible illegal activities affecting the Clean Air programme.
The Clean Air programme is Poland's national subsidy scheme providing funding to homeowners to replace polluting heating systems and improve energy efficiency in residential buildings, co-funded by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
The investigation has been initiated by the EPPO following media reports and related available information, pointing at potential design flaws in the Clean Air programme, which would have enabled dishonest contractors to fraudulently obtain funds and cause harm to thousands of programme beneficiaries.
The facts under investigation may constitute abuse of power or dereliction of duty by public officials. The investigation is ongoing to establish the facts and assess whether any criminal offences have been committed.
This investigation is supported by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (Centralne Biuro Antykorupcyjne) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
All persons concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Polish courts of law.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
Polska: EPPO wszczyna nowe śledztwo w sprawie możliwych nieprawidłowości związanych z programem „Czyste Powietrze”
(Luksemburg, 21 kwietnia 2026 r.) – Na polecenie Prokuratury Europejskiej (EPPO) w Katowicach (Polska) przeprowadzono dziś przeszukania w celu zabezpieczenia dowodów w naczelnych i regionalnych instytucjach publicznych na terenie całej Polski, w ramach śledztwa dotyczącego możliwych nielegalnych działań związanych z programem „Czyste Powietrze”.
Program „Czyste Powietrze” jest krajowym systemem dotacji w Polsce, zapewniającym właścicielom domów dotacje na wymianę zanieczyszczających systemów grzewczych oraz poprawę efektywności energetycznej budynków mieszkalnych. Jest on współfinansowany przez Europejską Agencję Wykonawczą ds. Klimatu, Infrastruktury i Środowiska (CINEA).
Śledztwo zostało wszczęte przez EPPO w następstwie doniesień medialnych oraz innych dostępnych informacji wskazujących na potencjalne wady konstrukcyjne programu „Czyste Powietrze”, które mogły umożliwić nieuczciwym wykonawcom wyłudzanie środków finansowych oraz wyrządzenie szkód tysiącom beneficjentów programu.
Ustalenia objęte śledztwem mogą stanowić nadużycie władzy lub niedopełnienie obowiązków przez funkcjonariuszy publicznych. Śledztwo jest w toku w celu ustalenia stanu faktycznego oraz oceny, czy doszło do popełnienia przestępstw.
Śledztwo to jest wspierane przez Centralne Biuro Antykorupcyjne (CBA) oraz Europejski Urząd ds. Zwalczania Nadużyć Finansowych (OLAF).
Wszystkie osoby, których sprawa dotyczy, uważa się za niewinne do czasu udowodnienia im winy przed właściwymi sądami polskimi.
EPPO jest niezależnym organem prokuratorskim Unii Europejskiej. Odpowiada za prowadzenie postępowań przygotowawczych, ściganie oraz wnoszenie spraw do sądu w odniesieniu do przestępstw naruszających interesy finansowe UE.
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