Overview

• Central European Petroleum confirmed a 22 million-ton oil reservoir off Swinemünde, but the Polish Geological Institute has paused approval pending independent verification of CEP’s geological data.
• Polish government spokesman Adam Szłapka asserted that Poland will maintain sole authority over offshore extraction decisions despite CEP maps showing the field extending into German economic waters.
• German local councils and tourism operators on Usedom have raised alarms over potential oil pollution and are calling for a joint environmental impact assessment.
• A recent EFTA Court ruling mandates that environmental reviews include both direct emissions from drilling and indirect CO₂ from eventual combustion.
• Extraction plans remain on hold as evolving EU and EFTA jurisprudence heighten legal obligations to align any development with climate targets and regional cooperation.