(Updates with government confirmation)

The Polish government on Friday issued free EU carbon allowances to industry for 2015, as this year’s EUA allocation nears completion.

The government handed out 55.4 million EUAs to industry and heat producers, the environment ministry said in a statement on its website, just short of the maximum 55.92 million units it is entitled to distribute for this year’s emissions.

The move could put downward pressure on EUAs prices if companies look to sell part of their quotas.

Poland had been one of just a few EU member states that had yet to complete their 2015 EUA allocations to industry.

The bloc’s 28 nations were this year collectively allowed to hand out a maximum 789.3 million allowances to industry to help them cover their 2015 emissions, according to the EC, which will publish its next update on this year’s allocation on Apr. 28.

Poland earlier this week got the green light to dole out 52.8 million out of a possible 72.3 million EUAs to utilities for their 2014 emissions under Article 10c of the EU ETS Directive.

By Mike Szabo – mike@carbon-pulse.com