Digital tax. Krzysztof Gawkowski: MC does not intend to withdraw from the work

Krzysztof Gawkowski was asked by TVN24 how to react to Tom Rose's statement.

– Poland has the right to conduct legislative work on various projects that relate to Polish society. Digital tax is something for Polish society that gives more influence and the possibilities of financing Polish digitization. And the conversation about this should be natural. The interfering of any other country, regardless of whether it is an ally, partner or adversary, is controversial and should not happen – said the deputy prime minister.

Asked whether in connection with such statements on the American part, he intends to withdraw in some way from the introduction of tax, he replied: “It is difficult that under the influence of another state, a politician who wants to be an ambassador, the Polish state would withdraw from work on the legislative acts that serve Poland.”

– More money in the budget is more money for the digitization of administration, for artificial intelligence, for Polish startups. We want to talk about it, the project is consulted, this is the beginning of work and it is difficult to withdraw under such pressure, because Poland is not any state – he said.

Read more: The government is working on a new tax. Minister's announcement >>>

– Here are work, this is Polish law and the Polish constitution – he emphasized.

– I think that the future American ambassador in Poland simply did not quite know what we were talking about that we started work and consult a project that in the future we want to introduce a greater chance for money in the Polish budget. Maybe he thought that we are dealing with a situation that concerns other areas, so he treats them so that they would probably have to explain them more, but I certainly do not intend to withdraw from nothing – he said.

He pointed out that “various countries in Europe have already introduced solutions that have been taxing large corporations, regardless of their state affiliation.” – Digital tax is a chance that large corporations that earn billions of dollars earn on Polish society pay large funds here to develop the Polish economy. Because the money from these large corporations is used to invest in the Polish economy, in Polish digitization. It is a similar solution as in other European countries, as in Great Britain, as in Austriaor as in France. Nothing extraordinary, because European Union He has been working on such a law for years, and other countries are already implementing them in Europe – he said.

The announcement of the introduction of tax was criticized on Monday by the future US ambassador. “This is not very wise! A self -destructive tax that will only harm Poland and its relations from the USA. President Trump will also answer with retaliation as and should do. Record the tax to avoid consistency!” – wrote on the website x Tom Rose, nominated by Donald Trump for the position of US ambassador in Poland.

Ministry of Finance informed that work on digital tax is currently not going on in the ministry.

“The Ministry of Finance does not currently work on digital tax. Only the minister competent for public finance is responsible for the Polish tax policy,” wrote the Ministry of Finance, in response to PAP Biznes' questions.

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, also referred to the matter. – I think that digital tax is a good solution, but I ask why nobody talked about it a year ago? Today, a US-EUROPA trading war hangs on the Italian and this is not a moment for such verbal declarations. This tax is two, three, a maximum of five billion, and economic escalation is really thick billions – said Katarzyna Pełczyńska -Nałęcz on TVP Info.

– This is not a good time to go out with such declarations, because we exacerbate relationships [polsko-amerykańskie]when we don't have to do it – she pointed out.

During a conversation with journalists, Krzysztof Gawkowski was asked to refer to the opinion of coalition partners. – I don't know how to wait with Polish law, since these consultations are just beginning. We should wait when we are not convinced that we should have equal law as in other European countries – said the minister.

– These works take place in the department of digitization, due to the fact that (resort – ed.) Talks with representatives of various organizations, corporations (from the digital market – ed.), But also organizations come (to the ministry – ed.), As stakeholders in various matters. The Ministry of Digitization has started this work because it is the right place where all supporters and opponents can meet and discuss – Deputy Prime Minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, asked about the position of the Ministry of Finance, told journalists.

Gawkowski also pointed out that the first MC consultations took place with entities in favor of and against digital tax on digital giants.

– We are at the beginning of the trial, I am surprised at all that American politicians speak about such matters who say that we should not talk about it at all. It will be a long process on digital tax, nobody will do anything from day to day (…) (…) costs, revenues, see what it will look like when it comes to the Polish market – he explained.

As Gawkowski said earlier, the digital tax model on Big Techów revenues or profits will be presented in the coming months, and the funds that would power the budget from the new tax would support the development of companies and startups from the digital-technological sector and the media.

According to the EU Commissioner for Trade, Marosz Błyczovicz, the European market is a source of up to 40 percent for some of the American giants. their revenues. Digital services is also an area in which United States They have a large surplus of EUR 109 billion (in the scope of exchange of goods, the European Union reaches a surplus of EUR 157 billion).

On Tuesday morning, Gawkowski informed on Radio ZET that due to a digital tax, the state budget could be powered by an amount in the range from PLN 1-3 billion. He added, however, that the final estimates should be wait until work on the tax model.