Dow Jones: Polish Government To Cap Hydrocarbon Tax

The Polish government won't take more than 40% of profits in taxes made on the production of hydrocarbons, Deputy Environment Minister Piotr Wozniak told a shale gas industry conference Wednesday.

"If the government take exceeds 40%, we will calibrate it down," he said.

Holders of shale gas exploration licenses and analysts are concerned Poland will tax shale gas production too heavily, making it commercially unviable to produce, especially after the government proposed a relatively high tax on copper and silver mining due to go into effect this year.  MORE