PiS defeat in the December 24 case. The government project was lost

This year, one of the shopping Sundays was to fall on December 24 – the choice of date is strange, because other regulations stipulate that on Christmas Eve, stores can only be open until 2 p.m. This does not give traders a chance to sell effectively, hence the appeals to the government to move the shopping Sunday to another day. On November 20, the government’s draft amendment to the act on limiting trade on Sundays and holidays and on certain other days was submitted to the Sejm, which was adopted by the government.

Trading Sunday December 24. MEPs discussed two projects

The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy proposed that Christmas Eve should be a day subject to a trade ban. It was indicated that this solution was justified by the special time of Christmas and family meetings of Poles. At the same time, it was proposed that the so-called Trading Sunday was December 10. According to the project, trading on that day would take place until 14.

On Monday, the project was discussed by members of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Development. This proposal did not convince the MPs. In the project prepared by

Another project was prepared by the MPs of Poland 2050 – Third Way. It states that if the Sunday before Christmas falls on December 24, the trade ban will not apply “on two consecutive Sundays before the Sunday falling on December 24.” Therefore, Sunday, December 24, will be a day off from trading, and stores could be open on December 10 and 17. This project was adopted.

Which stores can be open on non-trading Sundays?

Not all stores have to be closed on non-trading Sundays. The act includes a list of exceptions that may operate independently of the prohibition. These include:

• gas stations;

• restaurants and bars;

• flower shops;

• bakeries and confectioneries;

• pharmacies;

• ice cream parlors;

• shops where the owner stands behind the counter;

• animal clinics;

• railway stations and airports;

• kiosks;

• post offices.

Ryszard Petru is in favor of lifting the trade ban

The head of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Ryszard Petru, is a supporter of lifting the ban on Sunday trading. – I am a supporter of all Sundays being commercial, but I know that a compromise must be sought in the coalition. Either they will be all commercial or every other one. We must look for a solution that will be supported by the parliamentary majority – he said.

– We need to get out of the situation where everything is banned and the government tells them when to rest. It’s also about the economy. We are losing a lot of money because trading doesn’t work on Sundays – added the head of the Finance Committee.