Poland to advance 3% digital tax despite US criticism
Poland’s Ministry of Finance will work on a proposed 3% digital tax submitted by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Finance Minister Andrzej Domański said on May 13, as Warsaw moves ahead with plans that have drawn criticism from the US administration.
The Polish government expects to adopt the draft legislation by the end of September. The measure would introduce a compensatory tax on selected digital services provided by the largest global companies operating in Poland.
Asked about possible objections from Washington, Domański said Poland would decide its own tax policy.
“Poland determines what taxes apply in Poland. Companies in the new technology sector must pay taxes in Poland, just like everyone else,” Domański told journalists, according to PAP.
The plan builds on an earlier proposal announced in 2025, when the Ministry of Digital Affairs outlined a framework aimed at large multinational technology companies, mostly US ones.
The levy would apply to activities including personalised advertising, online marketplaces and the sale of user data, while excluding digital content streaming, telecommunications and financial services.
Digital services taxes have been introduced in several European countries, including the United Kingdom at 2% and France, Italy and Spain at 3%.
Such measures have repeatedly drawn criticism from Washington because they often affect large US-based groups, including Alphabet, which operates Google, Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, as well as Apple and Amazon.
The issue has been a longstanding source of friction in transatlantic trade relations. When Poland first outlined its plans in 2025, US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose described the proposal as “self-destructive” and warned that it could damage bilateral ties.
The initiative comes as Poland separately considers restrictions on social media access for children under 15, potentially increasing regulatory pressure on global technology companies operating in the country.
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