German concession paves way for closing EU chapter on taxes

During an official visit to Germany President Aleksander Kwasniewski was promised by German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder that Germany would change its stance on the tobacco excise tax. Poland had proposed to move the date for introducing the minimum EU excise tax on tobacco from 2007 to 2008. Germany's acceptance of Poland's proposal may remove the last obstacle standing in the way of closing the EU negotiation chapter on taxes. Schroeder said he was also interested in the process of privatization in Poland, saying that some German companies, including firms from the energy sector, are interested in entering the Polish market. "Some of them have very attractive offers," he added. Kwasniewski was decorated with the Great Cross for Service to Germany. "I immodestly think that from among many decorations I have received this is the one I deserved the most," he said. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A5) A.Z.