A bone of contention worth PLN 250 million. It is about a key regulation for many industries

• Consultations are underway on the draft Act on the National Cybersecurity System, which is to introduce restrictive rules for the protection of networks and ICT systems.
• The Ministry of Finance has reservations before the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers. Among others, it concerns the planned increase of the Cybersecurity Fund by PLN 250 million per year.
• The Ministry of Finance also opposes the use of the Fund's resources to finance the activities of special services (ABW and AW).

Another round of ministerial consultations on the draft act on the National Cybersecurity System (KSC) is underway. This is a key regulation for many industries – it will introduce restrictive rules regarding the protection of networks and IT systems. Successive governments have been trying to introduce it for several years now. So far, without success, the regulation has already had over 20 versions.

The final stretch? The KSC project is waiting for a "yes" from the government

However, as representatives of the Ministry of Digital Affairs announced publicly, among others during the European Economic Congress , this time the act should be adopted by the government by the end of June.

- The introduction of this law is in Poland's interest. If someone is against the KSC in the version that we are making, then I believe that they are committing digital high treason. We need to speak out about it strongly - emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski in an interview with WNP .

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers has received further important remarks - this time from the Ministry of Finance. It concerns a quarter of a million złoty per year.

Representing the ministry, Deputy Minister Jurand Drop noted that the presented latest version of the project introduces previously unconsulted expenses – it increases the Cybersecurity Fund by PLN 250 million each year .

The fund is a mechanism through which public administration can raise the salaries of people responsible for ensuring digital security in key institutions, including organizational units subordinate to ministries. It was introduced in 2021 as a response to the insufficient number of cyber specialists on the labor market .

The Ministry of Digital Affairs proposes to add the State Fire Service, the Office for Personal Data Protection and organizational units of the National Revenue Administration to the list of bodies that may receive additional payments from the Fund.

Deputy Minister sets limits on additional spending

In the assessment of the impact of the regulations on the act, the Ministry of Finance assumed that from 2026 the subsidy from the state budget for the Cybersecurity Fund should increase by PLN 250 million per year. The Ministry of Finance does not agree to such expenditure. As Drop reminds, Poland has been covered by the excessive deficit procedure since July 2024 , which means that budget expenditure for subsequent years must be determined taking into account the limitations resulting from this procedure.

Due to the lack of available financial space, increases in the level of budget expenditure in relation to the provisions in force must be neutral for the state budget, writes the deputy minister.

The Ministry of Finance also does not agree that funds from the Cybersecurity Fund should support the activities of special services – the Internal Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency – in the area of ​​IT system security and counteracting cyber threats. The Minister of Digital Affairs wanted to add such powers. However, Drop argues that both agencies are already financed from the state budget.

"The provisions regarding financing tasks related to the operation of special services from the Fund should be deleted from the proposed regulations," Drop writes.