Polish-Swiss Innovation Day 2017

We would like to announce the conference Polish-Swiss Innovation Day on How to shape a successful digital ecosystem? It will be a third such meeting organized by the Chamber in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy in Poland, with participation of Ministry of Development, Ministry of Digital Affairs and Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Programme:

Keynote: Mapping the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation
Dr. Jovan Kurbalija, Diplo Foundation, Head of the Geneva Internet Platform

Panel discussion: How to join the leading digital economies?
– Magdalena Borowik, Advisor to the Minister of Digital Affairs
– Christian Wenger, President of Digital Switzerland
– Aleksander Kutela, CEO Grupa Onet
– Robert Firmhofer, Director of Copernikus Science Center
– Joanna Konopko, young academic representative and start-up entrepreneur
moderation: Roman Młodkowski

Best practice workshops: Shaping the digital ecosystem: strategic responses
ABB Future of human-machine interfaces and related business models (Przemysław Zakrzewski Country Chief Information Officer ABB and experts)
Nestlé Polska Drive Digital Transformation for Building of Powerful Nestlé Brands (Zbigniew Skarżyński Head of Brand Communication)

Discussion:
Academia as a key factor in the digital ecosystem
– Agnieszka Skala, Co-founder and CEO of Innovation Nest Entrepreneurship School (SPIN)
– Dr. Jovan Kurbalija, Diplo Foundation, Head of the Geneva Internet Platform
– Tomasz Trzciński, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology
moderation: Bartosz Sawulski, MCI CAPITAL S.A.

Similar to last year (photo gallery), companies have a possibility to present themselves during the conference. For more details, please find attached the sponsorship proposal below.

Registration for the conference is available here.

Poland’s excellent employees and political unrest – results of the survey on investment climate in Poland

On 20th April at Bellotto Hotel in Warsaw took place a conference during which the results of the survey on investment climate in Poland were presented.

The Economic Survey was conducted in February 2017 by the German-Polish Chamber of Industry and Commerce in cooperation with thirteen other bilateral chambers in Poland, operating within the International Group of Chambers of Commerce: American, Austrian, Belgian, British, Canadian, Dutch, French, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Scandinavian, Spanish and Swiss. 369 foreign capital companies operating in Poland participated in the survey.

China connection – how to access the Chinese market?

We have the pleasure to inform you about PwC’s upcoming webinar “China connection – how to access the Chinese market?”

The Chinese market is vast and ever-expanding and can become a marvelous opportunity for growth of numerous companies from CEE region. The opportunities are even more promising after the announcement of China State Council on unprecedented set of new measures to attract foreign investments. However, doing business in China would be very costly and risky due to many different unexpected factors.

During the webinar we will discuss the following topics:

1.Overview of Chinese market. Why China?
2.Types of legal forms for foreign investors in China
3.How to structure investment in China – tax aspects
4.Investment opportunities for CEE companies in China – key industries
5.Case study – 5 key lessons learnt from investing in China
 
We believe this webinar can help you to identify common pitfalls and risk issues when investing in China.
In order to register please access our website: http://www.pwc.pl/en/wydarzenia/webinaria/jak-inwestowac-na-rynku-chinskim.html You will find additional information in the attached PDF file.

BALAJCZA’s Seventh Birthday!

On 15 March, BALAJCZA Specialized Translations, one of the largest translation agencies in Poland, celebrated seven years of market presence. During those seven years it provided services to 1200 customers worldwide and, based on the 2016 data, the level of satisfaction displayed by those customers amounted to 98 percent. The agency specialises in technical, scientific, legal and financial translations. The high quality of BALAJCZA’s translations is achieved thanks to its cooperation with a network of over 1000 professional translators in Europe, but also in North America, Asia and Africa.
The agency’s offer includes written translations, interpreting and sworn translations, as well as servicing of conferences using the specialist equipment.

The international character of the company goes hand in hand with its membership in chambers of industry and commerce: French, Scandinavian, Swiss and Dutch. BALAJCZA Specialized Translations commenced its eighth year of operation in a new office.

Report on foreign direct investments in Poland

We would like to draw your attention to the following Report, compiled by Polityka Insight, about the importance that Foreign Direct Investments have had in the development and growth of the Polish economy over the last 25 years.

However, the contribution that FDI has given to Poland is not quantifiable only from an economic point of view, but is also part of a process of political and social change that occurred after the fall of the communist regime, when there was the need to meet the growing consumption and to privatise the companies previously owned by the state.

Since then, and especially after the entry into the EU in 2004, foreign companies that have decided to invest in Poland have been increasing year after year. As a result, Poland is now in the middle rank of the OECD countries in terms of share of FDI in economy, between Germany and Japan, and close to such countries as Norway, New Zealand and Spain.

Foreign Direct Investments have also played a key role in the introduction of new technologies and the latest innovations in corporate culture, allowing Polish national companies to be integrated into the globalised economy.

Thanks to this and to the significant resources allocated to train their own Polish managers and employees, there has been a steady increase in productivity over the years and a greater economic stability.

We therefore kindly invite you to read this report, and we remain at your disposal for any question or further information.

The report is an inspiration for a new series of events, i.e. FDI Debates.

www.inwestycjezagraniczne.com

Business and Investment Climate Survey 2017

As in the previous year, we would like to invite you to participate in a survey on economic situation and investment attractiveness of Poland.

The survey is conducted in cooperation with 12 bilateral Chambers in Poland, operating within the International Group of Chambers of Commerce (IGCC).

It is addressed mainly to foreign investors and entrepreneurs operating on the Polish market. The survey is available online only: http://konjunkturumfrage.ahk.de/umfrage/pl-polen/  

You can participate in the survey until 28th February. There are three language versions available (Polish, English and German).

New Regulations on Goods Transportation

Dear Sirs,

on behalf of PwC we would like to inform you that according to the current draft act concerning a transportation package – the monitoring system of some sensitive goods, which will function only on the territory of Poland, is supposed to enter into force at the beginning of March 2017.

The transportation package introduces a series of reporting and information requirements for entities involved in the transportation of sensitive goods (i.e. oils, fuels, alcohol) as a sender, carrier or recipient. The package will be applicable in particular with:

•        domestic supply of sensitive goods but also intra-Community supply and export in the meaning of VAT act;
•        acquisition in case of domestic supply but also intra-Community acquisition and import in the meaning of VAT act;
•        Transportation of sensitive goods.

For example, an entity selling sensitive goods will be obliged to submit a notification to the IT system of the Ministry of Development and Finance. The lack of such notification may be penalized with a fine for a seller in amount of 46% of the net value of the shipment.

Please find attached a full catalog of sensitive goods with indication of proper Polish Classification of Goods and Services (PKWiU) and CN codes, which are covered by the draft of transportation package, as well as with extra obligations concerning minimal amounts of these goods determining whether the package should be notified to the IT system.

The draft act has been included in the Senate’s session schedule to be held on 21-22 February. The above means that all the works on the act will be completed by the end of February and the act will most likely enter into force at the beginning of March (14 days after its publication in the Journal of Laws). The fines will become applicable from 1 May 2017. Therefore, this is the final stage of the whole legislative process and the appropriate moment to start aligning with the new provisions.

We kindly invite you to contact PwC’s experts if you are interested in a more detailed discussion on any of the above-mentioned topics:
•    Krzysztof Wiński, mobile: +48 519 50 6434, e-mail: krzysztof.winski@pl.pwc.com;
•    Mateusz Jopek, mobile: +48 519 50 6993; e-mail: mateusz.jopek@pl.pwc.com;
•    Marzena Michałeczko, mobile: +48 519 50 4674; e-mail: marzena.michaleczko@pl.pwc.com.

Executive Leaders Forum

On behalf of PwC, we cordially invite you to attend the 5th meeting of the Executive Leaders Forum cycle, addressed to expatriates who hold executive positions and who live and work in Poland. This initiative aiming to create a communication and networking platform for leading expatriates in Poland. During the meeting we will be focusing on Tax Function of the Future. Evolving trends are changing the way in which tax functions operate both on a day-to-day basis and with long-term strategic planning. The changes will heavily affect the way companies operate and how board members should approach their tax regime.

Please see attached invitation and register by completing a registration form by 30 January 2017.

5 new lawyers at JARA DRAPAŁA & PARTNERS (JD&P)

In early January 2017, JARA DRAPAŁA & PARTNERS Law Firm (JD&P) gained five new lawyers.

The Tax Team was joined by Magdalena Zasiewska — a tax adviser with over twenty years of practice, including at companies from the Great Four, previously employed as a director at PWC. She became the Head of Tax at JD&P. Magdalena Zasiewska is an expert on Polish and international tax law. She has advised on business restructuring and M&A processes. She was also involved in tax proceedings of Polish and foreign companies. Her clients included entities from key sectors of the economy, such as the energy sector, commerce, real estate and FMCG. She is the author of numerous Polish and foreign publications and editor of the commentary to the OECD model agreement on avoiding double taxation. She is also a Member of the National Council of Tax Advisers in its current term.

By commencing cooperation with Magdalena Zasiewska, we want to bring attention to the Tax Team at our Law Firm and put more emphasis on providing complementary tax advisory services — commented Zbigniew Jara, Managing Partner at JD&P.

The Court and Arbitration Proceedings Team, led by Professor Przemysław Drapała (Partner) will be strengthened by three lawyers: Piotr Duma (Associate), Artur Krępa (Junior Associate) and Iwo Franaszczyk (Junior Associate).
Piotr Duma is an experienced legal adviser within the scope of conducting court and arbitration disputes concerning construction and infrastructural investment projects as well as advisory services for entities from the real estate and investment funds sectors. For the past five years, he has worked in the trial department of Dentons law firm. He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw (2010).

Artur Krępa also has experience within the scope of infrastructural, real estate and corporate disputes. He specialises in court proceedings, arbitration proceedings and securing proceedings. He obtained his professional experience in international and boutique law firms, advising, amongst others, clients from the construction and financial industries. He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at Jagiellonian University (2014) and is a trainee legal adviser.

Iwo Franaszczyk is a trainee attorney. He graduated from the Koźmiński University Law School in Warsaw (2016) and studied Management at the University of Warsaw. His professional experience includes conducting domestic and foreign arbitration disputes, extra-judicial recovery of claims and contract management.

The Court and Arbitration Proceedings Team at our law firm has been developing dynamically over the past years. Clients value our expertise, experience and effectiveness, in particular in the area of disputes concerning infrastructure investments. I am glad that this development is also noticed by talented court lawyers, who have decided to join us — said Professor Przemysław Drapała (Partner).

The HR changes at JD&P law firm also affect the Company Law Team, led by Zbigniew Jara (Managing Partner). It was recently joined by Aleksandra Cichecka (Junior Associate). She specialises in corporate matters of companies and contractual advice, advice within the scope of commercial law, public procurement law and competition law. She graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw (2015).

The decision to welcome five new people to our firm was based on the continuous, dynamic increase in the number and weight of commissioned cases, and thus on the Law Firm’s development, primarily when it comes to three main teams: Company Law, Court and Arbitration Proceedings, and Tax. We have ambitious plans for the future. For this reason, I am happy that we are entering the new year as a Team, stronger and even more determined to continue our success story — summed up Zbigniew Jara, JD&P Managing Partner.

Swiss Business Directory Poland 2017/2018 is ready

We are pleased to inform you that we have published the Swiss Business Directory Poland 2017/2018 with presentations of our member companies and other Swiss companies operating in Poland. The publication includes 189 entries and among others an article on Polish-Swiss trade relations written by the Swiss Embassy and the Swiss Business Hub.

You have already had a chance to have a look at the directory during the New Year’s Meeting held at Polonia Palace on 19th January 2017. Soon, all companies which placed their entries in the publication will receive a copy of the Swiss Business Directory Poland 2017/2018.

We wish you a pleasant reading!