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Poland Begins Work on Digital Tax Bill in Move Targeting Global Tech Platforms

By  |  March 24, 2026

Poland’s government is preparing legislation for a digital services tax, reopening a policy fight that has repeatedly strained U.S. relations with European governments and could again test Warsaw’s ties with one of its most important allies.

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    Deputy Prime Minister and Digitalisation Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said Tuesday that work would begin on a bill targeting selected digital services, according to Reuters. The proposal taxes revenue generated by large technology platforms rather than relying solely on traditional corporate tax structures.

    Gawkowski said the measure is intended to strengthen competitive conditions for domestic businesses while increasing public revenue and support for Poland’s digital development agenda, per Reuters. In comments posted on X, he argued that major global platforms often face lighter tax burdens than companies operating locally, a disparity he said weakens competition and reduces funds available to the state.

    Under the framework outlined by Gawkowski, revenue from certain digital activities would face a levy of as much as 3%, according to Reuters. The tax would apply to areas including online advertising, platforms that connect users, and data trading. Per Reuters, the plan would be limited to companies with global revenue above 1 billion euros, or about $1.16 billion USD, and revenue in Poland exceeding 25 million zlotys, roughly $6.79 million.

    The move risks reigniting a long-running transatlantic dispute over digital taxation. A number of European countries and other governments have introduced or pursued similar taxes aimed at large multinational technology companies such as Alphabet’s Google, Meta’s Facebook, Apple and Amazon, according to Reuters. Successive U.S. administrations have objected to such measures, arguing they disproportionately affect American firms and create trade frictions.

    Read more: Meta to Charge Advertisers Fee in EU Markets With Digital Taxes

    That tension has already surfaced in Poland. When the idea of a digital services tax was floated in 2025, U.S. ambassador to Poland Tom Rose described the proposal as “self destructive,” warning it could damage the relationship between Warsaw and Washington. The U.S. embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment, according to Reuters.

    For Poland, however, the tax effort appears to be part of a broader push to tighten oversight of the digital economy and assert greater control over the role of major online platforms. The government’s latest step follows a separate announcement of plans to curb social media access for children under 15, according to Reuters. That initiative, like the proposed tax, could put Polish authorities on a collision course with companies including Meta and X.

    The combination of tax and platform-safety measures suggests Warsaw is taking a more interventionist stance toward large technology businesses at a time when governments across Europe are weighing how to extract more revenue from digital markets and impose stricter operating standards. Per Reuters, Poland’s proposed levy is being framed not only as a tax measure but also as a tool to support technology development and digitalisation at home.

    Source: Reuters