Technological development is a key factor driving digital transformation in Poland, where internet access has become as essential as a utility like the sewage system.

While fast and reliable internet forms the foundation of social and economic development and national security, telecommunications companies are struggling with bureaucracy, protracted investment approval processes, and overregulation.

Participants in the debate, ‘The role of digitisation in Poland's security’, discussed these issues in the context of national security, highlighting from the outset the crucial role telecommunications plays in countering digital threats.

‘Threats cannot be completely eliminated and can result in a lack of connectivity. The telecommunications sector should therefore be viewed not only for its commercial offerings but primarily in the context of its multi-billion-pound investments in strategic fixed and mobile infrastructure. Through this, we ensure continuity of communications throughout the country, especially in crisis situations, which was clearly evident during the recent floods when emergency services could not operate efficiently without coverage’, said Małgorzata Zakrzewska, Executive Director for Corporate Affairs at Play.

She added that telecommunications operators must fend off numerous cyberattacks, necessitating continuous investment in security systems. ‘The aim of these attacks is sometimes to cause communication chaos or, in extreme cases, to block telecommunications services entirely. It is easy to imagine whose interests such incidents serve. For this reason, I see telecommunications as the foundation of national security and defence’, emphasised Małgorzata Zakrzewska, Executive Director for Corporate Affairs at Play.

Continuity of communications is key

‘I prefer to speak of electronic communication rather than telecommunications, because the latter is associated with an outdated understanding of information exchange solely by remote means. Today, we are dealing with highly developed systems that use a whole complex of media tools, which raises the question of how they are coordinated. This involves both regulation and coordination. The model that has emerged in most European countries, for instance with the digital services coordinator (DSS), is a role entrusted to the telecommunications market regulator. This coordination extends to collaboration with different sectors and regulatory bodies. For example, we have a mutual exchange of expertise with the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK); in cases they handle that touch upon the telecommunications or postal market, we provide expertise stemming from our role as the regulator. Similarly, when we address acquisitions and mergers, we consult on our statements wherever there are elements of maintaining market competitiveness’, analysed Jacek Oko, President of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE).

‘We communicate and exchange expertise with the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), a model I would like to see applied to the broader government and local government sector. UKE’s role should be strongly expert and leading, as it is a specialised institution now expanding to include legal expertise. While cybersecurity is always an issue, I believe it must be viewed in a broader context that also considers the continuity of services. After all, electronic communication and information exchange are the lifeblood of the economy. If mobile networks ceased to function for a moment, we could not make any card payments and would be practically helpless’, added Oko, explaining that the focus is on continuity and security, also understood as classic resilience – the network's resistance to dangerous phenomena. ‘This is what we should be discussing. Cybersecurity and its threats are important, but we must broaden our expertise to encompass service continuity, looking at critical services and systems. In reality, all information exchange has now become critical; sharing medical, military, or other data is impossible without these networks. Sector by sector, connectivity is vital for the energy, fuel, and financial industries – indeed, for every industry. Electronic communication is ubiquitous’, concluded the head of UKE.

Business owners’ perspective

‘We face a contrast between market liberalisation, meaning deregulation, and the need for some regulation, albeit more focused on operational processes. Polish business owners highlight three key issues. The first is excessive bureaucracy in the process itself, which creates organisational chaos, particularly when erecting a telecommunications mast. After UKE issues a frequency allocation decision, approvals are needed from the ABW, NASK, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and under building law, among others. The problem is not that these institutions are irrelevant, but that there are too many involved, causing the process to take far too long. While erecting the mast itself is quick, the administrative process can take two years or even longer. That is the reality’, said Joanna Makowiecka-Gatza, president of the management board of Pracodawcy RP (Employers of Poland).

‘This makes us uncompetitive compared to other EU economies operating under the same legal framework. We have a significant problem with investment processes in Poland, which undermines the strength of our economy. Therefore, when discussing resilience and security, these lengthy procedures must be considered a key weakness’, she added.

The second issue the head of Employers of Poland highlighted is the growing number of new regulations causing alarm in the SME sector. Poland has a very high level of regulation and faces problems with its implementation, resulting in market resistance and even non-compliance with important rules. This presents a challenge for the country: to address critical issues like cybersecurity while also implementing them in a way that allows companies to adapt. The third point raised was the need for technology sandboxes. Applying the same rules to all market players, regardless of size, remains a barrier to R&D, automation, robotics, and digitalisation.

‘The scale of deregulation is enormous. Out of approximately 500 suggestions submitted to the government as part of 16 proposals, 350 have been considered, with the rest still under review. The status of each proposal is available on a public website. From my perspective at the Ministry of Development and Technology, I greatly appreciate all the deregulatory changes related to digitisation. The mObywatel application is another significant development; it represents a powerful change in the deregulation package by allowing new public services to be launched from a single platform. Current deregulation efforts also mandate that government offices should share data, making integration easier. The Act on computerisation, the simplification of procedures, and the digitisation of lease agreements are just a few examples of many small but significant changes. We are moving beyond just shifting from paper to electronic systems; we are now implementing numerous common-sense simplifications within these deregulation packages’, said Marianna Sidoroff, Director of the Digital Economy Department at the Ministry of Development and Technology.

Endless approvals and interpretations

‘Unfortunately, businesses are not feeling the effects of deregulation. There has been a great deal of talk about it, not just in this parliamentary term, but businesses expect a pragmatic approach to this issue. Instead, they see a cycle where one law is removed only for another to be introduced, which is how it looks in practice. Such actions are viewed very negatively by the business community’, said Bartłomiej Pejo, chairman of the Sejm Committee on Digitalisation, Innovation and Modern Technologies.

‘Returning to digitalisation and security, operators still face the challenge of obtaining three or four separate consents from local governments, institutions, and offices just to lay a single cable. These are significant problems. Of 500 proposals recently submitted, only 67 were considered by the government and just 20 have been signed by the president. Their impact is so insignificant that businesses and citizens simply feel no real benefit. There is too much talk and too little meaningful action’, added Pejo.

‘I can confirm that the process of obtaining approvals and permits, as highlighted by Ms Joanna Makowiecka-Gatza and Mr Pejo, presents genuine problems for us. As I mentioned, infrastructure development is crucial. For a single mobile phone base station – of which we have over 12,700 – the investment process takes as long as 24 months, which is absurd. The problems also affect cable infrastructure, where connecting a single house or block of flats is also a lengthy process. We have submitted proposals on this matter, but many were rejected, often the reason being that they would be poorly received by the public – an argument we frequently encounter’, added Małgorzata Zakrzewska.

‘This is not the only absurdity. While representatives from the United States are amazed by the functionality of the mObywatel application, it is bizarre that we must approve every new feature by law. We have many ideas and could introduce a whole host of new functionalities, but it is ridiculous that the Sejm has to legislate on minor updates like introducing e-ID cards for students or senior citizens’, bemoaned Pejo.

‘Another issue is that when transposing European law into our national legal system, we often add our own legislation on top. This gold-plating is not always valuable or necessary, and it creates a further problem regarding the interpretation of both the law itself and the national legislation added on top of it. The interpretation of law is a huge problem and a significant risk in almost every area of our economic life from specific industries and sectors to taxation and digitalisation’, emphasised the president of the management board of Pracodawcy RP.

‘In my opinion, we are lagging in the implementation of EU law and have an over-regulated market because we try to implement directives even more stringently than the EU requires. However, cooperation is important, and I hope this is evident in the work of the Committee on Digitalisation, Innovation and Modern Technologies, where we readily facilitate dialogue with the business community. When I first entered parliament, I had the impression that politicians were still somewhat afraid to talk to businesses. In our committee, I am trying to dispel this fear by inviting all parties to the dialogue, especially businesses, which are often excluded from parliamentary work. When it comes to digitalisation, discussion is essential. Businesses have representation through chambers of commerce, and we warmly invite them to engage with us’, appealed MP Pejo.