The previous energy market model in Poland was based on a monopoly of five different electricity suppliers.

Since 2007, the energy market in Poland has been liberalised and both companies and individuals are free to change their energy supplier. However, elements of a monopoly remain, as energy production and transmission is still the responsibility of these companies. Energy trading, on the other hand, is completely free. All elements of this market are licensed and supervised by the Polish Energy Regulatory Office. At present, the energy sector is being restructured and put in order, especially as regards competition. In the near future, the situation related to the stable position on the energy producer market may change drastically due to the new energy policy and the gradual abandonment of energy production from fossil fuels. This may lead to the liberalisation of the energy production and transmission market and an increase in the number of energy traders.

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HOW TO RECOGNIZE A PYRAMID SCHEME?

Pyramid promotional schemes involve consumers being persuaded to participate in a “project” in exchange for the promise of remuneration or other benefits, which depend primarily on bringing more people into the scheme rather than on the sale or consumption of products. Such schemes most often offer investments in tokens, cryptocurrencies, educational or language packages, apartments, etc.

The scheme of operation of a pyramid scheme is basically as follows: you put money into a supposed investment, you refer other people, and you get paid for introducing them. Your money is not actually invested, it is used to compensate the people who brought you into the system. At the same time, your compensation comes from the contributions of people you have directly and indirectly referred. In this way, it is you, your friends and your friends of friends who are funding a system that is not really investing anything. Therefore, after a period of time, the system has to fail because the money paid in is not invested in any assets and does not make a profit. The money goes to the organizers and the highest position in the chain. The system works as long as the number of people joining and contributing money increases exponentially, which is not sustainable. As a result, the system collapses and the money invested is lost.

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On October 28, 2021 KIELTYKA GLADKOWSKI participated in a webinar hosted by the IOE&IT and Digital Trader Services.

From the start of 2022, all British importers will need to complete declarations for imports from the EU. The deadline for transportation inspections, including sanitary inspections of food, animal products and plant-based goods, has been delayed until 2022. Despite this, importers must be prepared to fill out declarations from January 1, 2022.

The webinar therefore explained the new timeline for import controls and what this means for traders. Experts provided practical advice about what traders can do to prepare for these changes.

The webinar covered the following topics:

• The customs controls and checks that are being introduced on 1 January 2022
• The requirement to use the new Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) and how this works
• When pre-notification and health certification will be introduced for agri-foods and steps traders can take
• When physical checks will be introduced at Border Control Posts.

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Along with the development of technology, which gives us more and more opportunities, the risk of cyber-attacks on our personal data is also growing. Hackers are using more and more sophisticated methods of compromising security to achieve their goal. One of the forms of cybercrime is spoofing, i.e. a group of attacks on ICT systems consisting in impersonating another element of the IT system, the effect of which is achieved by placing prepared data packets on the network or incorrect use of protocols.

Spoofing definition

The term “spoof” dates back over a century and refers to any form of trickery. However, today it is mostly used when talking about cybercrime. Spoofing is the act of disguising a communication from an unknown source as being from a known, trusted source, which can apply to emails, phone calls, and websites, or can be more technical, such as a computer spoofing an IP address, Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), or Domain Name System (DNS) server. It can be used to gain access to a target’s personal information, spread malware through infected links or attachments, bypass network access controls, or redistribute traffic to conduct a denial-of-service attack. Also it is a good way to gains access to someone’s device in order to execute a larger cyber-attack. Successful attacks can lead to infected computer systems and networks, data breaches, and loss of revenue – all liable to affect the organization’s public reputation. In addition, spoofing that leads to the rerouting of internet traffic can overwhelm networks or lead customers to malicious sites aimed at stealing information or distributing malware.

How spoofing works?

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Hidden dividend – The Polish New Deal

Costs from related parties will not be allowed as tax costs. This will happen when these costs meet the statutory definition of the so-called “hidden dividend”. The Polish New Deal introduces so far unknown concept of “hidden dividend”. The act in art.16 sec. 1d indicates that certain costs constitute a “hidden dividend” if:

• the amount or timing of those costs is in any way dependent on the taxpayer making a profit or on the amount of that profit; or
• a prudent taxable person would not incur such costs or could incur lower costs in the case of comparable supplies performed by a person not connected, within the meaning of Article 11a(1)(3), with the taxable person, whereby in determining those costs the provisions of Articles 11c and 11d shall apply mutatis mutandis, or
• these costs include remuneration for the right to use assets which were owned or co-owned by a partner (shareholder) or an entity related to a partner (shareholder) before the creation of the taxpayer.

The provisions being introduced aim to end the practice of extracting profits from companies. However, if an entity makes a gross profit and the costs associated with transactions with related parties do not exceed its value, the provisions will not apply.

Related parties

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