Monday, 17 November 2025
Work is progressing on a new Construction Products Act designed to strengthen market supervision and raise the quality of building materials sold in Poland. The revision follows years of industry concerns about non-compliant products, as well as findings from recent inspections carried out by the General Building Control Office.
“The quality of building materials in Poland still often fails to meet the required standards. The declaration to increase financial penalties and extend controls to online sales is a clear sign that the state intends to actively combat irregularities in the trade of construction products,” says Jan Pruski, Associate in the Real Estate and Construction Law team at Wolf Theiss.
Official data from the inspection programme in 2024 shows that authorities checked 2,457 products—exceeding the initial plan of 2,302. Of the 259 samples tested, around 30% failed to meet manufacturers’ declared performance characteristics. The most frequent irregularities were identified in thermal insulation materials, cements, building lime and other hydraulic binders.
“Inspections by building control authorities in 2024 resulted in 38 decisions on financial penalties in the first instance. On the one hand, this demonstrates the willingness of manufacturers to cooperate in order to eliminate irregularities, and on the other hand, it shows the rather cautious approach of the authorities in this area. So will increasing the severity of these penalties be an effective preventive tool in the future?” asks Jan Pruski.
The new draft law introduces higher sanctions for companies that place non-compliant construction products on the market, fail to label them properly or bypass required procedures. Financial penalties would increase by up to 50%, a change justified by inflation and the fact that fines have not been adjusted for more than a decade.
Current penalties of PLN 100,000 would rise to PLN 150,000 under the proposal. The new framework would also apply to online sales, including offerings from foreign sellers targeting the Polish market. According to the draft, sanctions should become not only stricter but also easier to enforce. The reform aligns with EU requirements that Member States apply proportionate, effective and dissuasive penalties.
“The tightening of sanctions is not just a formal change – it is a clear signal that the state intends to actively combat irregularities in the trade of construction products. In light of the numerous irregularities detected during inspections, the new regulations are intended to serve as a preventive measure and encourage manufacturers and distributors to take greater responsibility for the quality of the products they offer,” emphasises Jan Pruski.
The legislative overhaul also seeks to bring Polish regulations more closely in line with EU standards by harmonising definitions, streamlining the process for placing products on the market and strengthening supervision—including of products sold online. The aim is to address gaps highlighted by market surveillance authorities, entrepreneurs and National Technical Assessment Bodies.
“One of the significant changes will be the obligation for the authority to carry out a risk analysis before deciding to carry out an inspection. Economic operators will also be required to provide detailed information on the supply chain, distribution network, number of products available on the market and other product models with the same technical characteristics. All these measures are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of supervision and improving the quality of construction products available in Poland,” adds Jan Pruski.
While the proposals introduce new reporting and compliance obligations, they may also reduce the use of non-compliant materials by increasing transparency and improving access to data on product characteristics and origin. Tighter control over online sales is expected to bring more consistency and reliability to the sector.
“The increased emphasis on product quality and safety, as well as tougher sanctions, may translate into greater consumer and investor confidence, which in the long term may strengthen the position of reliable manufacturers on the market. The new regulations, which also cover online sales, are intended to bring order to the online sales segment, which has so far remained outside effective supervision,” summarises Jan Pruski.
The bill is expected to be adopted in the third quarter of 2026. Public consultations opened on 21 October, with feedback accepted for 30 days following the publication of the draft.
Photo: Jan Pruski, Associate in the Real Estate and Construction Law team at Wolf Theiss
