The Constitution for Business soon in force
Three repealed acts, 189 amended acts, and five new acts, one containing recitals, form the Constitution for Business—the comprehensive legislative package regulating business activity in Poland.
A business that is a natural person can appoint a commercial proxy
On 30 April 2018 new laws take effect bringing to an end the long dispute over the types of businesses allowed to appoint commercial proxies. Ultimately, businesses that are natural persons will be able to appoint commercial proxies.
Regulated business activity in the Constitution for Business
From 30 April 2018 the main guidelines concerning regulated business activity can be found in the new Business Act. The number of regulatory provisions affecting business activity in Poland will not decrease, but they will be spread more widely across industry-specific regulations. There are also changes favourable to business.
Changes to rules on participation of foreign undertakings in trade in Poland
A new law that comes into force on 30 April 2018 combines two acts regulating the operations of foreign businesses in Poland into one, and at the same time makes certain changes.
Who is intended to benefit from 50% tax costs? Certainly not taxpayers
The right to claim higher tax costs at 50% has recently been one of the most problematic issues in the relationship between tax authorities and taxpayers. At the beginning of the year this limit was raised twice, but the list of persons entitled to claim such costs was narrowed. Moreover, the tax authorities are consistently doing everything they can to stop taxpayers from taking advantage of this rate. So who is the 50% write-off intended for, and what are the criteria for eligibility?
Does a property development boom mean more litigation cases?
Property development projects are on the rise, accompanied by rising costs of building materials. Can contractors with old contracts which do not reflect inflation validly demand a higher fixed fee?
What is the situation regarding power of representation to file the electronic European Single Procurement Document (ESPD)?
Can an ESPD be signed by a contractor representative appointed for a tender using their certified electronic signature, or do persons listed in the relevant register as representatives of the contractor now have a new obligation, to sign an ESPD? Is this measure by the legislature a restriction of competition in tenders?
Railway infrastructure public or private?
The definition of “use of private railway sidings solely for one’s own purposes” requires pro-EU interpretation.
Consolidating real estate for registration in a single land and mortgage register
Real estate has to be consolidated and covered by a single land and mortgage register for example when someone wishes to create separate units in a building standing on two plots listed in separate land and mortgage registers. Before commencing a development project it is also advisable to commission a legal analysis to determine whether the legal criteria for this measure are fulfilled; otherwise this could prove difficult or impossible.
Green loans, eco-friendly financing
Environmental protection is a major issue today, and many organisations and enterprises attempt to incorporate environmental protection requirements into their operations. Banks are also trying to keep up with the trend by offering eco-loans or green loans.
FIDIC: A claim is not the start of a dispute
Notice of a claim is not a sign of hostility towards the other party to a contract. The major changes made in the FIDIC New Contract Conditions published in December 2017 include a clear distinction between claims and dispute resolution.
FIDIC commentary on the new contractual conditions
On 5 December 2017 the Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils (FIDIC) new contractual conditions were published. FIDIC recently released the first commentary on the new conditions.
