Poland: The benefits of operating in a special economic zone

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Poland: The benefits of operating in a special economic zone

intl-updates-small.jpg
dziedzic.jpg

Monika Dziedzic

Until 2027, most of businesses operating in Polish special economic zones (SEZs) may be exempt from profits tax and real estate tax. There are 14 SEZs located all around Poland, but the SEZ status may be also given to nearly any appointed location.

The level of profits tax exemption is a consequence of either qualifying investment costs or new employment.

The exemption equals from 15% to 50% of investment costs (depending on the location of the SEZ – higher level is in more rural areas), or from 15% to 50% of two-year labour costs of newly employed workers. For small and medium-sized enterprises the investment aid may be increased by 20% and 10%, respectively.

The prime condition to do business in the SEZ is to obtain a special SEZ permit, which defines among others allowed scope of business, minimum investment and/or minimum employment.

Qualifying investment cost is the expenditure incurred after obtaining the SEZ permit for mainly fixed assets (including land), development or modernisation of existing fixed assets or purchase of intangible assets related to the transfer of technology through the acquisition of patent rights, licenses, know-how or non-patented technical knowledge. Rent cost and finance leasing may also qualify as expenditure giving the title to the tax exemption.

The exemption applies only to profits from business defined in the SEZ permit.

The loss incurred from business activity in the SEZ cannot be carried forward.

Disposal of qualifying fixed asset within five years from completion will result with in the loss of the right to tax exemptions.

In 2017, there are approximately 1,700 businesses operating in SEZs in Poland including multinationals, as well as local large and small entrepreneurs.

Monika Dziedzic (monika.dziedzic@mddp.pl)

MDDP

Tel: +48 22 322 68 88

Website: www.mddp.pl

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

While it’s great that the OECD is alive to multinationals’ fears of being caught in a compliance trap, the ‘common understanding’ illustrates a worrying lack of readiness
Rising demand for specialist expertise has fuelled the growth in tax partner headcounts, Cain Dwyer found; in other news, Switzerland has been urged to reconsider pillar two
An OECD report on the taxation of the digital economy is expected by the end of 2026, according to the group of nations
Trophy assets are evolving from personal indulgences to structured investments, prompting family offices to prioritise tax efficiency, governance discipline, and cross-border compliance
As demand for complex, cross-border private client counsel spikes, Patrick McCormick sees opportunity in starting from scratch
As part of an exclusive global alliance, KPMG will become one of Anthropic’s ‘preferred consultants’ for private equity
In the second part of this series, the focus shifts to how taxpayers can manage ongoing risks across the lifecycle of cross-border structures
Jurisdictions have moved to ensure that multinationals are not punished for late GIR filings due to a lack of available filing portals or exchange relationships
HMRC’s push for unified tax adviser registration won’t prevent every instance of improper conduct, but it is good for taxpayers and the UK’s reputation
Elsewhere, the UAE’s tax office has issued an update on registration penalties and two firms have been busy making lateral hires
Gift this article