On 18 March 2020, the Polish government announced a package of necessary legal amendments, the Anti-Crisis Shield, in order to protect the Polish economy against the COVID-19 crisis. Among the official legal solutions announced, the following measures are designed to protect employees and the financial liquidity of companies:

• Deferring public levies – PIT, CIT, VAT, social security contributions – with no fees or interest.

• Extending the deadline for submitting the PIT tax declaration until the end of May 2020.

• Contributions to employees’ salaries during a company’s downtime – the state will cover almost half of the salaries and social security contributions (up to 40% of the average pay in the national economy, currently around PLN 5,000 gross).

• Persons employed under civil law contracts will be able to receive a monthly benefit of approximately PLN 2,000 gross.

• Enterprises will receive assistance from the National Economy Bank in the form of interest subsidies on loans.

• The possibility for a company to settle all this year’s loss in the accounting for next year.

As of Saturday, 24th October, Poland is marked as the red zone with more restrictions to stem the pandemic. Read more about the new regulations HERE.

Poland’s prime minister announced the partial relaxation of rules indicating a “return to a new normality, a new economic reality.” As of the 4th of May 2020 kindergardens, hotels, libraries, museums and art galleries will be permitted to re-open. You can find the details here.

Please adhere to the government’s recommendations in reference to gathering restrictions (max. 2 people in close proximity) and learn more about the latest information for the anti-crisis economic package. From April 16, all Poles are required to cover their mouth and nose in public spaces. Poland also reopened parks and forests and the country starts to loosen coronavirus lockdown. You can find new regulations measures to contain the coronavirus here.

PM Mateusz Morawiecki announced that the entire territory of Poland will be designated as “yellow” zone as of Saturday, October 10th. Check it out here.

There are new restrictions for the red zone implemented starting as of October, 17th.

New Regulations by Polish Government are Announced as of Saturday, November 7th. More info here. Short summary below:

Education

Distance learning for schools (all grades) is announced. The government is also adding a PLN 500 voucher for teachers to finance the most important equipment for remote work.

Community life

Theaters, cinemas, museums, art galleries, the houses of culture are going to be permanently closed

In churches, can be one person/15m2

Shops in shopping malls will be closed apart from pharmacies, grocery, and service shops

In stores with an area of less than 100 square meters, will be able to stay 1 person per 10 square meters, in larger stores - 1 person per 15 square meters

Hotels are going to serve only guests which arrived with a business reason

Economy

- Shops and malls - up to 5 people per one cash register

- Bars and restaurants open between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., only takeaways after. Every second table can be taken

- Public transport - 50 percent of seats taken or 30 percent of all spaces

Social life

- Ban on organising social events such as weddings or wakes - starting October 19

- Maximum one person per 7 square metres during religious ceremonies

- Public gatherings - up to 10 people

Education, culture and sport

- Universities, middle and high schools - remote learning (excluding practical classes)

- Sporting events with no spectators

- Cultural events - up to 25 percent of capacity

- Closed swimming pools, water parks and gyms

Read the details HERE.

On November 21st, Polish PM announced the next steps for the period from November 28th to December 27th:

- Stores in shopping malls and furniture shops will reopen from November 28. There will be a limit of people– a maximum of 1 person/15 m2.

- Schools will remain closed (remote learning) until December 22 (December 23 until January 3- Christmas break)

- Kindergartens and nurseries remain open.

- Winter holidays in all of Poland will take place from 4-17 January 2021

- Restaurants, bars, pubs remain closed. They can only sell take-away meals

- Cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, cultural centres, libraries remain closed

- Hotels remain closed (hotels available only to guests on business trips).

- It is mandatory to cover your mouth and nose in offices, open spaces, meeting rooms when there are more than 2 people.