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Polish Briefing 21 June, 2017 9:00 am   
Editorial staff

Polish Briefing: Three Seas project. Additional PLN 20 billion from taxes

What goes in Poland on 21st of June.

Szczerski on the Three Seas project

Minister Szczerski on the Three Seas project: “Our part of Europe is the continent’s driving force.”

“The Three Seas project is a prospective and investment initiative. Its goal is to provide a political umbrella ensured by presidents to create business incentives. Our region is poorly integrated,” Szczerski said.

“For years Europe has been investing in the west-east axis, the north-south axis has been underinvested. The presidents want to encourage governments to invest in the north-south axis. Our part of Europe is the continent’s driving force. A zone of ambition,” he added.

Additional PLN 20 billion from taxes already in 2017

“In 2017, the government will earn additional PLN 20 billion in tax revenue thanks to tightening the tax system,” assessed Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mateusz Morawiecki.

“20 billion is a lot, but we need an even bigger challenge. The 20 billion is at our fingertips, I think we will reach it already this year,” said Morawiecki on Tuesday in an interview for TVP1.

Earlier Morawiecki estimated that tightening the VAT collection system may yield between PLN 15 and 20 billion in 2017, and 20-30 billion in 2018.

Ministry of Economic Development: value of EU grants increased by PLN 5.6 billion in a month

“The value of contracts for EU funding increased by PLN 5.6 billion in a month,” announced the Ministry of Economic Development. The ministry added that by 18 June 17 973 agreements with beneficiaries have been signed. The EU funding for the grants is worth PLN 105 billion.

At the same time, the number of grants signed before 21 May was 16 683, with EU funding worth PLN 99.4 billion.

The ministry also informed that by 18 June this year, 55 411 applications for funding have been submitted, for PLN 341.4 billion in total. The EU funding for which the potential beneficiaries applied is worth PLN 213.2 billion.

According to recently provided information, the Polish National Development Bank (BGK) before the end of May, paid out PLN 22.798 billion from the 2014-2020 financial perspective. 

Only those who want to, will work on Sundays 

A new, compromise proposition on limiting Sunday trading has been announced. Only those who want to work, will; but they will earn more money.

The Social Dialogue Council is currently debating at the Presidential Palace. The Council includes representatives from trade unions, employers and the government. The talks pertain to, among others, limiting shopping on Sundays.

This solution is supported mostly by members of the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ). They are neither for coercing people to work on Sundays, nor for forbidding doing it. This is why they proposed that anybody who wants to work on that day should earn 250% of the regular daily rate.