Poles working abroad still have to wait for tax amnesty

Although Poland has a double taxation treaty with the UK, its provisions mean Poles working in the UK need to pay part of their tax in Poland, where their income is taxed at the top rates. The problem was a hot issue in last year's general election and tax amnesty was a crucial election pledge of Tusk's Civic Platform (PO). However, the first draft bills introduced by the PO and the Left and Democrats were deemed by legal experts as unconstitutional, and there has been growing impatience among the Polish expat community in the UK at the delay.  Now, the Finance Ministry has drafted its own bill which it says will be approved by the Sejm by the end of the year. Under it, Poles returning from the UK will be able to apply for the cancellation of tax on the income earned in the UK, and those who had already paid it will receive a refund. The amnesty, whose key details remain to be fleshed out, has the backing of Law and Justice, the main opposition party. It is expected to cost the budget zł.300 million. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 27; Dziennik, p. 4) R.M.