Poland Prepares Digital Services Tax Despite U.S. Rejection

A new bill in Poland has sparked a diplomatic confrontation following the announcement of a tax targeting foreign digital service providers. The initiative comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Europe over the taxation of tech companies, while the Trump administration warns of possible trade retaliations.

The Structure of the Proposed Tax

The draft legislation will enter a public consultation period in the coming weeks. The measure would establish a 3% tax on platforms operating in digital services, including those involved in selling advertising, processing user data, or facilitating online commercial transactions.

The tax burden would apply to companies with global revenues exceeding 1 billion euros, provided they have declared at least 25 million zlotys (approximately 7 million dollars) within Polish territory. According to Jin10 reports, these conditions would mainly affect major U.S. tech giants with significant operations in the region.

Washington’s Warnings and Their Implications

The White House has explicitly stated that it will consider retaliatory measures against any such tax imposition. This stance adds to a series of transatlantic frictions that include traditional trade disputes and disagreements over Greenland, suggesting a deeper deterioration in bilateral relations.

Analysts warn that these frictions could impact trade and investment commitments between the two regions. The threat of economic retaliation has created uncertainty in European markets.

The Perspective of U.S. Investors

American companies have questioned the legitimacy of a measure they see as discriminatory. Marta Pawlak, Director of Legal and Public Policy Affairs at the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland, emphasized that this proposal ignores the substantial contributions U.S. investors have made to the local economy.

“U.S. tech companies have invested $60 billion in business assets in Poland,” Pawlak stated. “This policy sends a discouraging message to the entire foreign investor community, risking future initiatives and business partnerships that have strengthened both economies.”

Business spokespeople argue that U.S. companies operate under the same regulations as their European competitors, so a specific digital services tax would constitute discriminatory treatment of foreign capital.

The Global Trend of Digital Service Taxation

Poland joins a growing list of European nations seeking to tax digital service platforms as a way to increase tax revenues. However, the convergence of this initiative with current trade tensions makes it a particularly sensitive negotiation point.

The public consultation starting in the coming weeks will determine the final course of the legislation. Meanwhile, U.S. investors are closely monitoring how this tax dispute, which directly impacts digital services offered from the United States, might evolve.