Finance minister discusses post-Brexit cooperation during London visit

Poland's Finance Minister Tadeusz Koscinski has met with British officials in London to discuss development of global markets, strengthening Polish-British trade relations, Brexit, enhancing cooperation between tax services and counteracting VAT fraud.

During the Thursday-ended three day visit, Minister Koscinski also took part in the opening of a representative office of Poland's Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BKG) in London, the Polish Finance Ministry wrote in a Thursday press release.

Meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid, Minister Koscinski noted that Poland had recorded "the highest GDP growth among EU countries, with results that were over four times better than the EU average of 0.3 percent," and noted that for the first time since 1990 the draft of Poland's 2020 budget was balanced.

"This is an effect of the strengthening of the tax system, positive changes in the economy and the implementation of the priorities of economic and social policy pursued by the government," added the minister.

The two also discussed the development of global markets, the so-called green capital market and financial services, as well as closer cooperation between tax services and counteracting VAT frauds.

Minister Koscinski mentioned the Polish PM's initiative to build a coalition to effectively solve VAT fraud. The first meeting is to take place in Warsaw on January 29.

The initiative of a European agreement on combating tax fraud aims to strengthen the exchange of information, knowledge and experience, as well as cross-border cooperation. It is also refers to the use of new technologies and the creation of an institutional and legal framework for cooperation, the Finance Ministry wrote.

Referring to Brexit, Minister Koscinski, who met with the British Minister of Investment Graham Stuart, said he hoped that "after Brexit, the EU and the UK will sign a comprehensive free-trade agreement to maintain the current conditions of economic cooperation at the highest possible level."

According to the Finance Ministry, Polish-British mutual turnover reached EUR 19.5 billion in 2018, up 7 percent on the previous year.

The Polish minister also met with Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union Stephen Barclay to discuss the post-Brexit situation, and further cooperation in the field of financial services. Koscinski assured the British side that Poland was in favour of ambitious cooperation between the EU and Great Britain.