Functioning of the special economic zones has been extended to 2026

On 23 July,2013 the Council of Ministers adopted 14 regulations extending by six years, i.e. to 2026, the time limit of functioning of the Special Economic Zones. This is very good news for entrepreneurs who has been already operating in the Special Economic Zones as well as for those who wants to start their business activity in Special Economic Zones.

Special Economic Zones (“SSE”) are the administratively separated parts of Polish territory, where Polish and foreign entrepreneurs can conduct business activity on preferential terms within the framework of state aid.
An entrepreneur who is undertaking a business activity in Special Economic Zones is entitled to inter alia: tax exemptions (exemption from corporate income tax or personal income tax - depending on the form of business activity, and in some economic zones from the real property tax as well), start business activity on a specially prepared and developed land, support in the investment process provided by the managing entity of the zone, particularly in administrative and organizational matters.

Special Economic Zones operate on the basis of the Act of 20 October 1994 on special economic zones. At the beginning zones have been established for a period of 20 years from the date of their establishment, and in 2008 the effective period of all zones has been extended until 31 December 2020. Currently there are 14 Special Economic Zones in Poland, including the following: Walbrzyska SEZ (including Lower Silesia, Opolskie Province, Wielkopolska Province, Lubus Province), Legnicka SEZ (including Lower Silesia), Pomorska SEZ (including the Pomerania Province, Kujawy-Pomerania Province, West Pomerania Province, Wielkopolska Province).

According to the data available on website of the Ministry of Economy by the end of the first quarter of 2013 approx. 1,570 permits in all zones were issued, and entrepreneurs conducting their business activity in the zones have invested 87,745,75 million zloty and employed 184,680 thousand employees.

There is no doubt that the investments in SEZ are much more attractive to investors than these carried out in the regions not covered by the special zones, and the extension of the special zones functioning for a subsequent six years is an incentive to invest for next entrepreneurs.