Tax on energy to be split between consumers and power companies

Parliament decided that consumers will have to pay half of the excise tax on electric energy. "The introduction of the tax will make the price of electricity in Poland one of the most expensive in Europe. This will compel households to make savings", said members of parliament. "Half the excise tax will be paid by consumers and half by energy sector companies. The power sector has still room to reduce operating costs," chief of the Energy Regulation Office (URE), Leszek Juchniewicz, told parliamentary commissions. "I hope this tax will only be imposed for 2002", he added. The amendments to VAT on goods and services and excise tax on electricity came into force on March 26 and will raise an additional zl. 2 billion for the budget this year. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2), M.T.