Government consultations with traders' environment have also come to an end. The consultations were concerning another sectorial tax, i.e. tax from supermarkets, which will eventually become a progressive tax and will come into force on 1st April 2016. The proceeds planned from this tax amount to at least 2 billion PLN until the end of the year.

This way financial and commercial companies (mainly foreign entities) will pay at least 7 billion PLN for the realization of the great family-oriented program '500+' and there will be nothing left to block additional burdens, which - as one can unofficially hear - are not praised by western investors.

Until now, foreign companies both of the financial and the commercial sectors were in a very good financial situation in Poland. Huge amounts of money migrated abroad without taxation from our country, because these companies learned (with utter passivity of successive ministers of finance and, consequently, treasury services) through the so-called transfer pricing to build costs which showed either significantly lower profits or even losses.

Moreover, the Sejm has also passed a law on a one-time additional support for pensioners receiving low benefits (up to 400 PLN for benefits below 2000 PLN). To add, intensive works are going on regarding the law prohibiting courts to reclaim children from families in difficult financial situation. What is more, the draft law on free medicines for pensioners of 75 years old and more will enter the Sejm next month.
The Sejm is also working on the law on including the prosecutors to the Ministry of Justice, which is one of the basic solutions contained in the electoral program of Law and Justice. It will allow for a much more efficient prosecution of criminal offenses and improving their detection, especially when speaking about the most serious crimes.

The Public Finance Committee has completed its works on the draft budget for 2016. Its 2nd and 3rd readings will take place during the nearest meeting of the Sejm; therefore the budget should be adopted and sent to the Senate before the end of January. Everything happened in just one and a half month after its submission by the new government.
The President Andrzej Duda has also fulfilled his obligations mentioned in the election campaign.

Some time ago the Sejm has received a draft law regarding the return to the previous retirement age. Its 1st reading has already took place. The clubs of Civic Platform and Modern has rejected the draft already during its 1st reading. Nevertheless, the draft has been transferred to the Sejm committees and now the consultations with trade unions should begin. Trade unions would also like to connect the retirement benefit with the contribution period (35 years for women and 40 years for men).

The President has also submitted a draft law to increase the tax-free amount to 8000 PLN. Now the consultations with local government organizations will take place, as the budgets of local government units will also feel its effects. It will enter into force on 1st January 2017.

Finally, some time ago the President has transferred a draft law to people having mortgages in Swiss francs regarding the help to settle theirs mortgages on 'righteous course'. Therefore, there is a real opportunity to help about 700 thousand families, which were often trapped in mortgages.

As it can be seen, the implementation of the election program of the Law and Justice is in full swing, despite the fact that the President Andrzej Duda has been holding his post for five months, and the Government of Beata Szydło only for 2 months.

All this is being realised in spite of the fact, that neither the President, nor the Government had the so called 100 days of tranquillity adopted for them, whereas the parliamentary opposition (especially the Civic Platform and Modern) wanted to at least delay these solutions.

Even the latest 'attack' of the European Commission on Poland and possible next week's debate in the European Parliament on Polish matters will not stop the Law and Justice party from the implementation of the scheme mentioned in both election campaigns.

Dr Zbigniew Kuźmiuk
Financier, Member of the European Parliament

Yesterday the Sejm has passed the so-called law on bank tax already amended by the Senate.  It was signed by the President Andrzej Duda and after being published in the Journal of Law, is supposed to come into force on 1st February 2016. In this connection banks, insurance companies, and loan companies will add at least 5 billion PLN of this tax to the budget during the next 11 months of this year.

Government consultations with traders' environment have also come to an end. The consultations were concerning another sectorial tax, i.e. tax from supermarkets, which will eventually become a progressive tax and will come into force on 1st April 2016. The proceeds planned from this tax amount to at least 2 billion PLN until the end of the year.

This way financial and commercial companies (mainly foreign entities) will pay at least 7 billion PLN for the realization of the great family-oriented program '500+' and there will be nothing left to block additional burdens, which - as one can unofficially hear - are not praised by western investors.

Until now, foreign companies both of the financial and the commercial sectors were in a very good financial situation in Poland. Huge amounts of money migrated abroad without taxation from our country, because these companies learned (with utter passivity of successive ministers of finance and, consequently, treasury services) through the so-called transfer pricing to build costs which showed either significantly lower profits or even losses.

Moreover, the Sejm has also passed a law on a one-time additional support for pensioners receiving low benefits (up to 400 PLN for benefits below 2000 PLN). To add, intensive works are going on regarding the law prohibiting courts to reclaim children from families in difficult financial situation.  What is more, the draft law on free medicines for pensioners of 75 years old and more will enter the Sejm next month.

The Sejm is also working on the law on including the prosecutors to the Ministry of Justice, which is one of the basic solutions contained in the electoral program of Law and Justice. It will allow for a much more efficient prosecution of criminal offenses and improving their detection, especially when speaking about the most serious crimes.

The Public Finance Committee has completed its works on the draft budget for 2016. Its 2nd and 3rd readings will take place during the nearest meeting of the Sejm; therefore the budget should be adopted and sent to the Senate before the end of January. Everything happened in just one and a half month after its submission by the new government.

The President Andrzej Duda has also fulfilled his obligations mentioned in the election campaign.

Some time ago the Sejm has received a draft law regarding the return to the previous retirement age. Its 1st reading has already took place. The clubs of Civic Platform and Modern has rejected the draft already during its 1st reading. Nevertheless, the draft has been transferred to the Sejm committees and now the consultations with trade unions should begin. Trade unions would also like to connect the retirement benefit with the contribution period (35 years for women and 40 years for men).

The President has also submitted a draft law to increase the tax-free amount to 8000 PLN. Now the consultations with local government organizations will take place, as the budgets of local government units will also feel its effects. It will enter into force on 1st January 2017.

Finally, some time ago the President has transferred a draft law to people having mortgages in Swiss francs regarding the help to settle theirs mortgages on 'righteous course'. Therefore, there is a real opportunity to help about 700 thousand families, which were often trapped in mortgages.

As it can be seen, the implementation of the election program of the Law and Justice is in full swing, despite the fact that the President Andrzej Duda has been holding his post for five months, and the Government of Beata Szydło only for 2 months.

All this is being realised in spite of the fact, that neither the President, nor the Government had the so called 100 days of tranquillity adopted for them, whereas the parliamentary opposition (especially the Civic Platform and Modern) wanted to at least delay these solutions.

Even the latest 'attack' of the European Commission on Poland and possible next week's debate in the European Parliament on Polish matters will not stop the Law and Justice party from the implementation of the scheme mentioned in both election campaigns.

Dr Zbigniew Kuźmiuk

Financier, Member of the European Parliament