Poles must prepare for crucial changes in home budgets. From January 1, 2026 We're going to have a fresh hidden tribute to hit anyone who plans to buy a smartphone, laptop, tv or even office paper. The government introduces the so-called. reprographic fee, i.e. an additional taxation added to the price of a wide scope of electronic devices and data media. What is the biggest controversy? The decision was made under the regulation of the Minister of Culture, with the exception of the parliamentary debate and without the President's participation. This decision sparked a wave of criticisms and accusations of introducing fresh loads with "back doors", which could mean an increase in prices of respective twelve zlotys for more costly devices.
What is simply a mysterious reprographic fee and for whom is it intended?
The fresh tribute is in fact compensation to creators for private copying of their works. The fee is to oscillate within the limits 1 to 2 percent price devices capable of specified copying. The funds collected will not contribute to the state budget, but will go straight to collective rights management organisations (OZZs), specified as ZAiKS, ZPAV or ZASP. It is these institutions that will be liable for the distribution of money between artists. The strategy is estimated to make even PLN 200 million per year. any of these funds are intended to be utilized to fund social safety for artists working as freelancers.
For the consumer, this means that erstwhile buying fresh equipment, he will automatically pay an additional amount to go into the creator's pocket. Whether he actually intends to copy content or whether his equipment will be utilized exclusively for work, study, or entertainment.
What precisely will it cost and how much will it hit your wallet?
The list of devices covered by the fresh fee is amazingly wide. They were targeted. smartphones with a memory exceeding 32 GBtablets, laptops and desktop computers, as well as televisions with recording function. Denmark will besides include printers, scanners, copy machines and office paper in A4 and A3 formats. Additionally, higher prices can be seen on data media specified as hard drives, flash drives and memory cards.
Market experts inform that in practice this represents a noticeable increase in prices. In the case of more costly devices specified as high-end laptops or modern TVs, the surcharge may even be several twelve zlotys. Although 1-2 percent may seem little, at prices of respective 1000 zlotys this amount becomes felt. For example, the laptop for 4000 PLN will increase by 40-80 PLN and the smartphone for 2500 PLN by 25-50 PLN. This is simply a real burden for households and entrepreneurs.
Why does the fresh tribute rise specified strong opposition and accusations of "back door tax"?
The introduction of the reprographic fee meets with large criticism for respective reasons. Opponents indicate that Poles are already paying for legal access to content in streaming services. Data Spotify, only in 2024 Polish artists earned almost PLN 190 million from the streaming itself, which undermines the argument for additional compensation. Critics besides emphasize that electronic equipment is mainly utilized for work, discipline and communication alternatively than for mass copying of protected content.
There is besides a deficiency of documented evidence of the actual losses of the creators. Court of Justice of the European Union It has repeatedly pointed out that specified charges can only be imposed in the event of proven harm and that the Ministry of Culture has not provided concrete data so far. An additional blow is to include a fresh tribute from entrepreneurs and public institutions, which frequently do not have the ability to copy copyrighted content.
However, the most controversy is caused by the procedure of implementing legislation. In the past, president Andrzej Duda announced that he would not sign a bill introducing a reprographic fee. The current government, bypassing this obstacle, introduces rules Regulation of the Minister of Culture. How He Judges Foundation for economical Freedom, this is simply a way of avoiding the debate of parliament and civilian control. The organisation besides recalls that Poland is at the forefront of countries utilizing legal sources of culture, and piracy is systematically falling, which further undermines the sense of imposing further burdens.
When will the fresh regulations come into force and how will we prepare for increases?
If the decree of the Minister of Culture is yet signed, Reprographic fee will apply from 1 January 2026. This means that consumers and entrepreneurs have just over a year to prepare for the upcoming changes. Already next year, erstwhile planning to buy a fresh smartphone, laptop or even paper rice, you will gotta add additional percentages to the price.
For many people, it will be another "hidden tax" which will affect their purchasing power. Experts advise that, as far as possible, large purchases of electronics, especially those more expensive, be considered even in 2025, before the fresh regulations enter into force. This could be the last chance to buy equipment at prices not charged with the fresh tribute. Government communications should be followed to keep up with possible changes. Certainly, 2026 will bring tangible increases in electronics stores.
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The government is introducing a hidden tax. Prices of electronics and paper will increase from 2026.
