The Council on Ethics recommends that the observation of the Polish Energy company Orlen SA be terminated. The company was placed under observation in February 2023 due to an unacceptable risk that it was contributing to human rights abuses. The Council’s recommendation rested on Orlen’s acquisition of the media group Polska Press and the implications for press freedom and therefore freedom of expression in Poland.
In March 2024, Orlen’s board of directors and executive management were replaced, and the company has subsequently decided to divest its ownership of Polska Press. The commercial management of Polska Press has, moreover, been disconnected from editorial decision-making, while new editors of regional newspapers have been recruited via open recruitment processes. This could strengthen editorial freedom going forward.
The Council on Ethics issued its recommendation on 2 December 2024. Norges Bank announced its decision to discontinue the observation on 6 December 2025.