Poland ranked 24th in Doing Business

The World Bank presents an annual Doing Business report on the ease of conducting business activity in 19 countries around the globe. In this year’s ranking, Poland took the 24^th position, which is the country’s historical best. The first spot in the ranking was taken by New Zealand, followed by Singapore and Denmark.

The evaluated countries are ranked with respect to several categories connected with business environment. These are: Starting a Business, Dealing with Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Getting Credit, Protecting Minority Investors, Paying Taxes, Trading Across Borders, Enforcing Contracts, and Resolving Insolvency.

Poland got good scores with respect to Trading Across Borders, Resolving Insolvency, and Getting Credit. What still falls behind expectations is Starting a Business. In Poland, it takes a lot longer to formally launch operations in comparison with other European countries.

In the last year’s report, Poland was ranked 25^th. The move one position up was possible due to good changes in regulations on construction law and restructuring law. Thanks to the reforms, getting a construction permit got easier and restructuring proceedings are simpler and take less time than previously.

Poland was placed higher than many other European economies, for example France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Among the OECD economies, the country got into the top 20.

Mariusz Haładyj, a Deputy Minister of Development, was glad when he heard the news. “Polish economy is going in good direction” – he commented.

The Doing Business list is being published since 2003. Its goal is to compare the ease of doing business and regulatory environment in the economies across the world. The easier it is to conduct business operations in each country, the higher the position. The distance to top-scorers is also taken into consideration when estimating the final position.

Several subnational reports are also available, and one of them concerns Poland. The city in Poland with the highest ease of business is Bydgoszcz. The two cities that follow are Olsztyn and Białystok. As to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, the city took the 17^th place out of 18 ranked cities.

Polish government is hoping to make conducting business less complicated. The Ministry of Finance is working on a so-called “Constitution for Business” and a set of new solutions which are to make entrepreneurs’ life in Poland easier. The scheme is to be revealed in November 2016. Entrepreneurs in Poland are waiting.

Implications for Banking and Business

Developments in the Polish banking sector affect businesses operating in the country in several ways. Access to corporate banking services, credit availability, deposit rates, and payment infrastructure are all critical factors for companies — whether established Polish firms or foreign-owned entities entering the market.

For foreign entrepreneurs setting up operations in Poland, choosing the right banking partner is a strategic decision. Major Polish banks including mBank, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Millennium, PKO BP, and Santander Poland offer varying levels of service for international clients, including English-language online banking, multicurrency accounts, and dedicated relationship managers for corporate clients.

The Polish banking market is well-regulated by the KNF (Financial Supervision Authority) and participates in the EU deposit guarantee scheme (BFG — Bank Guarantee Fund), providing deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per institution. This regulatory framework provides stability and confidence for businesses maintaining corporate funds in Polish banks.

If you are doing business in Poland or considering entering the Polish market, Zalewski Consulting can help. Learn more about our tax advisory services in Poland, or contact us for a free consultation.