In brief

• The Ministry of Finance is proposing amendments to the Act on the National Revenue Administration (KAS) that would give tax offices a legal basis to record conversations with taxpayers.
• The draft also provides for officials to prepare notes from contacts and for broader use of service outside the office.
• The assumptions are at the consultation stage and have not yet been adopted.

Recording conversations with tax officials

The Ministry of Finance has published assumptions for an amendment to the Act on the National Revenue Administration. The most contentious point concerns introducing a legal basis that would allow KAS authorities to record conversations with taxpayers (Skarbówka chce nagrywać rozmowy. Eksperci oceniają nową propozycję – Business Insider Polska) (KAS będzie nagrywać rozmowy – Prawo.pl) (Skarbówka szykuje rewolucję w kontaktach z podatnikami. Jeden szczegół może Cię zaskoczyć, chodzi o nagrywanie rozmów – Infor.pl). The ministry also wants officials to prepare notes from contacts with interested parties (Skarbówka będzie nagrywać rozmowy z podatnikami. Rząd szykuje zmiany w KAS – Bankier.pl).

According to the ministry, the changes are meant to improve service and adapt the rules to modern IT tools. The proposals raise concerns, but they could benefit taxpayers, provided the regulations clearly guarantee their rights.

Service outside the office

The draft also provides for broader use of the model of off-site taxpayer service, i.e. handling matters without having to visit a specific office.

What's next

The assumptions have been sent for consultation and have not yet been adopted. Only after the legislative work is completed will it be known in what final form the provisions on recording conversations will appear.

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• Skarbówka straci łatwy dostęp do kont bankowych. Sejm ogranicza uprawnienia urzędników