Telephone operators seek cancellation of license fees

Three telephone operators, Netia, Dialog and El-Net, have submitted an application to Economy Minister Janusz Steinhoff, calling for an end to the system of paying license fees, and for them instead to be allowed to invest the money they save. The companies say such a change could create as many as 80,000 new jobs. Netia spokesperson Jolanta Ciesielska urged the government to consider the suggestion during its present term. However, Dialog representatives say they do not believe this is possible. The operators claim that the Treasury would be more than compensated for the fall in budget revenues resulting from the proposed change, since euro 1.33 billion would be generated over the next 15 years in tax revenues from the operators themselves, equipment producers and suppliers. A further euro 1.8 billion would be paid as taxes by companies that will use the 700,000 new telephone lines that the telephone companies are committed to laying, if their proposed change is adopted. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 15) K.K.