The Polish government announced it will relax regulations within the SENT system for transporting clothing and footwear, aiming for implementation within two weeks.
Fighting the Shadow Economy and “Empty Invoices”
The government deemed it necessary to include the sector in the SENT system, stating that controls alone were insufficient to combat issues like the shadow economy and fraudulent invoicing.
Officials estimate the shadow economy accounts for 10-20% of the clothing and footwear market, with the sector seeing the highest number of detected “empty invoices”—recently totaling 200 million złoty in one instance.
Details of Liberalization: 300 kg and 50 km
The planned liberalization is based on an analysis of the operating conditions of the smallest entrepreneurs, particularly those trading at markets and bazaars.
Proposed changes would increase the permissible weight of transported goods to 300 kg or 300 pairs of shoes for transport distances up to 50 km. Sole proprietorships would also be exempt from reporting requirements.
Entrepreneurs’ Council Criticism: “Solutions Insufficient”
The Entrepreneurs’ Council assessed the changes as “only a partial and insufficient response to real problems,” criticizing the 50 km limit for not reflecting the realities of mobile trade.
The Council also argued that basing limits on weight rather than quantity is impractical.
Council’s Proposed Solution
The Entrepreneurs’ Council advocates limiting the SENT system’s application to imports and the initial introduction of goods into circulation, excluding retail and wholesale trade, internal transport, and logistics operations not involving a change of ownership.
They also propose extending exemptions to include partnerships, to avoid unequal treatment of entities conducting identical activities.
System Revolution
Deputy Minister of Finance Zbigniew Stawicki announced the planned easing of SENT system rules for clothing and footwear transport in the Sejm on Wednesday, with new regulations expected within one to two weeks.
Stawicki addressed parliamentary questions regarding the inclusion of clothing and footwear in the SENT system, which since March 17th requires businesses to report shipments exceeding 10 kg of clothing or 20 items (e.g., shoes).