Update July 2000: Poland

1. Telecom Operators

1.1. In January 2000, the government announced a new tender for the strategic foreign investor for the privatization of Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. The Consortium of France Telecom and Kulczyk Holding is identified as the future strategic investor. By 2001 the strategic investor will be able to increase its shares in TPSA to over 50%.

1.2. tp.internet, owned by TP S.A., will buy over 55% shares of WWW multimedia and entertainment agency Magellan Net S.A. in Cracow

1.3. Netia Telekom will start at the Warsaw Stock Exchange at the beginning of July.

2. Governmental organisations

Candidates for the President of the Republic of Poland are conducting campaigns. The campaign started 17 June and will end on 7 October. Most of candidates present their programmes on the Internet.

3. Associations

3.1. The new organisation responsible for EDI promotion has been established. The Committee for Rationalisation of Business Procedures POLPRO is a joint initiative of the EDI Centre Poland and National Chamber of Commerce. The secretary of the Committee POLPRO is Mr Eugeniusz Danikiewicz.

3.2. The Society of the Rural Telecommunications RUTEL is active in awareness actions dealing with development of telecommunications infrastructure on remote rural areas. The RUTEL Committee Chairman is Mr Franciszek Witos. RUTEL closely co-operates with the Polish Electricians Association. RUTEL is the co-organizer of annually 'Rural Telecommunications" Conference in Kielce.

4. IT Companies

4.1 The new ranking is the list of 100 most valuable Polish private enterprises in comparison with the Warsaw stock exchange companies. The ranking was presented by "Businessman" Magazine (www.businessman.com.pl) in No 6 [111] in June 2000. Polkomtel S.A. (Wladyslaw Bartoszewicz, the President), mobile operator GSM Plus is on the top of ranking. The main shareholders of Polkomtel are PKN S.A. - 19,6%, KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. - 19,6%, AirTouch Communications Inc - 19,6%, PSE S.A. - 16%.

4.2 Panorama Firm is an internet version of popular printed catalogues providing address information of enterprises and companies. Andersen Consulting evaluated this service as most comprehensive, up-to-date, reliable and user-friendly (www.pf.pl).

4.3 Mr Roman Kluska, the President of Optimus S.A., sold the control packet of company shares to BRE Bank and Zbigniew Jakubas, the mineral water producer. Optimus is the biggest Polish company in computer equipment sector. Optimus S.A. will transform the holding of Optimus Pascal, Optimus Lockheed Martin, eMarket and Optimus DoctorQ.

4.4 ComArch (prof. Janusz Filipiak, the Board Chairman) operates Interia.pl portal together with RMF FM, the Polish commercial radio station. Interia.pl provides information and e-commerce services.

ComArch consists of nine domestic and three foreign branches in Frankfurt am Main, in Washington DC and in Brussels. The one in Brussels is to facilitate cooperation with the European Union. In April 2000 ComArch commenced operations in the Technology Park situated in the Special Economic Zone in Cracow.

4.5 Since May 2000 a new financial service created by BANKIER Financial Society in Wroclaw has been thrown open to the public on the Internet. The service provides information on banking offers in Poland, investment funds and leasing companies. Tools for comparative analysis, simulation of the repayment of credits and financial directories are provided.

5. Competitions and awards

5.1 Internet services of Lodz and Milicz awarded GOLDEN@ in competition for the best Internet service devoted to problems of local communities. Awards were announced during the "Cities in Internet" Conference on 14-16 2000 in Zakopane.

5.2 ComArch was awarded with the title "Technology Pioneer" in the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2000. During International Poznan Fair on 12 June 2000 ComArch got the annual President's Economy Award in category of the Polish Enterprise.