On June 30, 2020, in the case no. III CZP 67/19, the Supreme Court adopted a resolution on contractual penalties reserved in construction contracts. In accordance with the content of the resolution, Article 483 § 1 of the Civil Code does not exclude the admissibility of the reservation of a contractual penalty for non-payment or non-payment of the remuneration due to subcontractors or further subcontractors, as referred to in Article 143d(1)(7)(a) of the Act of 29 January 2004. Public Procurement Law (consolidated text in Journal of Laws 2013, item 907 as amended).
Therefore, on the grounds of the interpretation adopted by the Supreme Court, it is permissible for the ordering parties to reserve the obligations of the contractor to pay a contractual penalty in case of a delay in the payment of the amounts due to subcontractors – despite the fact that such a penalty concerns a financial benefit.
The application of the above rule may contribute to strengthening the payment discipline in the scope of construction work contracts performed under the public procurement regime and better protection of subcontractors.