Finance Ministry criticized as EU VAT registration process kicks off

The Ministry expects around 100,000 applications, with confirmation of their tax status being given out to applicants as of April 13. Companies that fail to receive EU VAT status will encounter significant trouble trading with the EU as they will have to pay a VAT rate of 22% for exported goods instead of a zero tax rate. "The expectation of 100,000 applications is an underestimation. The Ministry is probably only counting exporting companies and not importing ones. I think there will be several hundred thousand applications for EU VAT. There is no way everyone will be processed within two weeks," former Finance Minister Witold Modzelewski commented. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6) A.K.