• The current number of active businesses is also greater than the number noted at the beginning of 2020, and amounts to 2.54 million companies as at 11 August - according to the latest CEIDG data.
• We have been noting a gradual growth in companies that are resuming business within the past four months.
• This is further proof that the Polish economy pushes through the coronavirus pandemic relatively unharmed.

Information from the Central Registration and Information on Business which has been coming to us regularly since mid-April, show that many Polish companies are doing well during the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The data also proves that nearly PLN 130 billion already granted to the Polish entrepreneurs under the Anti-Crisis Shield and the PDF Financial Shield constitutes tangible assistance and serves as a proof of the relatively good condition of the Polish economy - stresses Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Jadwiga Emilewicz.

The data of the Central Registration and Information on Business obtained in August shows that the April trend has been maintained

The Central Registration and Information on Business is a register of companies where business owners enter key data regarding the status of their business. The data contained in the Central Registration and Information on Business changes daily and includes information regarding the suspension of business activity - with a retroactive date - or the start of business activity with a future date. The Central Registration and Information on Business notes the highest number of requests to suspend business activity typically by the end of each month. This is due to the specificity of the payment of contributions - while social security contributions are paid in proportion to the number of days of operation in a given month, the health insurance contribution is indivisible, even if the operation was carried out only during a certain part of the month.

The Central Registration and Information on Business data from May, June and July subsequently confirmed the optimistic information gathered during the final weeks of April. This time we have analysed the scale of active businesses within the last five months, beginning from 11 March this year, i.e. the day on which the state of an epidemic was introduced in Poland, until 11 August this year.

According to the data of the Central Registration and Information on Business, between 1 January 2019 and 11 March 2020, i.e. until the imposition of the epidemic in Poland, the number of active economic activities in has increased from 2.40 million to 2.47 million.

In contrast, between 11 March and 11 August 2020, this number increased by 61.8 thousand businesses and now amounts to 2.54 million active businesses.

In addition, the number of active businesses is higher by nearly 80 000 business activities in comparison to the beginning of 2020, as on January 1st and 2nd the number of businesses amounted to 2,46 million.

What does it mean to suspend a business?

This solution is particularly popular with entrepreneurs who run seasonal businesses. However, businesses may be suspended at any time. According to the regulations, business activity may also be suspended with a retroactive or future date.

During the suspension of business activity, the entrepreneur is exempt from:

• Social Insurance Institution contributions,
• advances on income tax,
• the obligation to submit Social Insurance Institution and VAT declarations.

Importantly, the current legal regulations allow for the possibility to resume business activity anytime. After the end of the current coronavirus epidemic, entrepreneurs will therefore be able to return to running their businesses without any issues in that respect.

Who is eligible to suspend their business activity and what conditions must be met?

The following entities are eligible to suspend their businesses:

• entrepreneurs who do not employ workers;
• due to the Business Constitution, entrepreneurs whose employees are on maternity or parental leave are also permitted to suspend their business activities.

During the period of suspension of business activity, an entrepreneur is not allowed to run business activities or record any earnings from a non-agricultural business activity.

During that time however, each entrepreneur is permitted to:

• perform all activities necessary to maintain or secure a source of revenue, including termination of previously concluded agreements;
• accept receivables (each business owner is also obliged to cover the liabilities that arose before the date of suspension of business activity);
• generate financial revenue, including from activities carried out before the date of suspension of business activity.