Demanding a change of course
Manufacturers, car banks, dealerships, and representatives have formed an industry-wide pressure group to fight legislation they fear could cripple their commercial interests.
High-profile figures who attended a meeting arranged by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) last week pledged to bend the ears of politicians and government transport advisors who, they claim, have introduced incoherent policies and devastated car sales.
DaimlerChrysler's Poland president and CEO, Winfried Blum, said: "We need an industry voice that can represent us, that will fight those policies that are harmful to the industry. We provide taxes for the government and employment and our case should be heard.
"At the moment the automotive industry seems like the rabbit and the government is the hunter."
They attacked the government's latest initiative to regulate VAT charges on vehicles as "ridiculous" but added that it was only the latest "failure" in a long list of bungles.
They say policies, such as the imposition then removal of strict barriers on importing cars, the notorious 'Lisak' formula that prompted thousands to fit grills to their vehicles to attract favorable VAT rates, and the proposed replacement rules, have left car sales in tatters.
The Samar research group's Wojciech Drzewiecki told the meeting: "The situation is not positive and it is getting worse. At the moment we are selling the same number of cars as we sold in 1995 and 1996 - and that's almost a decade ago. If nothing happens to correct the situation then it will get worse and sales could be as low as 180,000 this year."
The president of the Automotive Association of Official Car Importers, Przemysław Rajewski, said: "We cannot be passive about this, we must work together and we must formulate a series of proposals that we have to take to the decision-makers."
PWC's David Green said the group intends to: research legislation governing car taxes and VAT rules in other European countries and compare them to Polish regulations; recruit local dealerships to lobby Senate and Sejm members to support the campaign; contact international motoring organizations; and discuss their plight with the European Commission to establish whether policies can be challenged in the European courts. Drzewiecki suggested that simplifying the tax system by replacing the proposed new registration tax with a lower annual fee would reduce car prices for customers and possibly stimulate the car market.
"What I am afraid of is that the government tax will hit the market and will not provide enough revenue for the government. After a few years they will then introduce an annual fee simply to increase revenues and we will have no chance to attract customers. This could set the market back years," Drzewiecki concluded.
High-profile figures who attended a meeting arranged by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) last week pledged to bend the ears of politicians and government transport advisors who, they claim, have introduced incoherent policies and devastated car sales.
DaimlerChrysler's Poland president and CEO, Winfried Blum, said: "We need an industry voice that can represent us, that will fight those policies that are harmful to the industry. We provide taxes for the government and employment and our case should be heard.
"At the moment the automotive industry seems like the rabbit and the government is the hunter."
They attacked the government's latest initiative to regulate VAT charges on vehicles as "ridiculous" but added that it was only the latest "failure" in a long list of bungles.
They say policies, such as the imposition then removal of strict barriers on importing cars, the notorious 'Lisak' formula that prompted thousands to fit grills to their vehicles to attract favorable VAT rates, and the proposed replacement rules, have left car sales in tatters.
The Samar research group's Wojciech Drzewiecki told the meeting: "The situation is not positive and it is getting worse. At the moment we are selling the same number of cars as we sold in 1995 and 1996 - and that's almost a decade ago. If nothing happens to correct the situation then it will get worse and sales could be as low as 180,000 this year."
The president of the Automotive Association of Official Car Importers, Przemysław Rajewski, said: "We cannot be passive about this, we must work together and we must formulate a series of proposals that we have to take to the decision-makers."
PWC's David Green said the group intends to: research legislation governing car taxes and VAT rules in other European countries and compare them to Polish regulations; recruit local dealerships to lobby Senate and Sejm members to support the campaign; contact international motoring organizations; and discuss their plight with the European Commission to establish whether policies can be challenged in the European courts. Drzewiecki suggested that simplifying the tax system by replacing the proposed new registration tax with a lower annual fee would reduce car prices for customers and possibly stimulate the car market.
"What I am afraid of is that the government tax will hit the market and will not provide enough revenue for the government. After a few years they will then introduce an annual fee simply to increase revenues and we will have no chance to attract customers. This could set the market back years," Drzewiecki concluded.
