Poland’s Ministry of Digitisation (Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, MC) and telecoms regulator the Office of Electronic Communications (Urzad Komunikacji Elektronicznej, UKE) have both criticised proposed changes to regulations which could slow down the expansion of mobile networks. The Ministry of Environment (Ministerstwo Srodowiska) wants infrastructure such as network towers and base stations to be covered by new environmental planning laws, meaning operators will have to apply for permission before carrying out any work which could ‘significantly affect the environment’.
Telepolis reports UKE as saying that ‘the ordinance is not favourable from the point of view of the development of telecommunications services and may have negative effects’. The MC, meanwhile, commented: ‘The Ministry of Digitisation believes that one should strive to eliminate all administrative and legal regulations that may affect the development of the country in the area of telecommunications, if these regulations are not justified by the protection of citizens’ interests in other areas of functioning.’ Critics are worried that the measures would increase red tape and slow down the development of new 5G networks and the expansion of existing 4G systems.