Countries · PL

Poland: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 10 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Poland.Lists last checked .

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Poland in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Poland may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

10 entries on the official lists name Poland — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

ListEntries
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)9
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)1

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Poland recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Poland: logistics and trade

Transit and production country, e-commerce and Baltic port hub

Poland (PL) is a large country in Central Europe and a central transit and manufacturing hub between Western and Eastern Europe. It borders Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad) as well as the Baltic Sea. As an EU and NATO member, Poland belongs to the EU customs union and single market but keeps its own currency, the zloty (PLN). Its export-oriented economy is driven by automotive and machinery manufacturing, furniture, electronics, chemicals, agriculture and a very strong e-commerce sector. Freight relies on the Baltic ports of Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin-Swinoujscie, a dense motorway and rail network (A1, A2, A4), the cargo airports of Warsaw Chopin and Katowice, and the New Silk Road rail corridors via Malaszewicze on the Belarus border. This makes Poland one of the key nodes of European supply chains - while also being shaped by its geopolitically volatile eastern frontier.

Capital
Warsaw
Population
37,490,000
Area
312,696 km²
Currency
Polish Zloty (PLN)
Continent
Europe
Region
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
Economic area
EU (single market and customs union)
Religions
Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Judaism
Access to the sea
Yes

Transport modes Road · Rail · Sea · Air · Inland waterway

Current situation
As of 2026-07-18: Poland has repeatedly closed border crossings to Belarus/Russia since Sept. 2025; in Jan. 2026, ten crossings were closed. China-Europe rail freight runs almost exclusively via Kukuryki/Malaszewicze and remains prone to disruption. Standard import VAT rate still 23 percent (confirmed 2026).
Seasonal conditions
Cold winters with snow and ice can delay road transport; the Baltic ports are generally usable year-round without ice.

Main seaports

  • Gdansk

    Baltic Hub Gdansk (PL GDN): the Baltic's only deep-water box terminal, 2.24M TEU in 2024, direct Asia calls, plus oil, coal and grain cargo.

  • Gdynia

    Gdynia (PL GDY): Poland's second seaport - BCT and GCT box terminals, grain, reefer and project cargo, plus Stena Line ferries to Sweden.

  • Szczecin

    Szczecin (PL SZZ): Oder river port for bulk, steel and granite; containers feeder-only. Deep-sea boxes via Świnoujście, Gdańsk or Gdynia.

  • Swinoujscie

    Świnoujście (PL SWI): Poland's largest ferry terminal (Ystad, Trelleborg) plus an LNG terminal. A Baltic RoRo hub; containers via Gdańsk or Gdynia.

  • Port Polnochny

    Port Polnocny, Gdansk's Northern Port: dedicated dry-bulk terminal for coal and iron ore (Sea-Invest), not a container port. Capacity, rail links and alternatives.

  • Police

    Police (PL PLC): bulk/chemical port on the Oder – Grupa Azoty; Nutrien potash direct delivery (until 2027); EU railway junction 437 (€33.4M) due Q1 2028; no containers.

Main cargo airports

  • Warsaw Chopin AirportWAW

    Warsaw Chopin Airport WAW/EPWA handled about 137,000 t of cargo in 2025 (+15%). Belly cargo with LOT, handling agents, EU customs, Katowice as alternative.

  • Katowice Wojciech Korfanty International AirportKTW

    Katowice Airport (KTW): 37,182 t cargo in 2024, record 2025 (+21.4%), DHL/UPS/FedEx, second freight terminal planned. Poland's No. 2 air cargo gateway.

  • Modlin AirportWMI

    Modlin (WMI) near Warsaw: about 1.74M passengers in 2025, Poland's main Ryanair base. No cargo terminal – air freight via Warsaw Chopin (WAW).

  • Copernicus Wrocław AirportWRO

    Wrocław Copernicus (WRO/EPWR): 6,440 t of cargo in H1 2026, bonded and cold stores, daily UPS feeder to Cologne/Bonn. New terminal lifts capacity to 35,000 t.

Road corridors

  • A2 (Świecko/DE - Warsaw - Terespol/BY)
  • A4 (Görlitz/DE - Katowice - Korczowa/UA)
  • A1 (Gdansk - Czech Republic, Amber axis)
  • Via Carpatia (S19, north-south eastern flank)
  • S3 (Swinoujscie - Czech Republic)

Rail corridors

  • North Sea-Baltic Corridor (TEN-T)
  • Amber Corridor / CETC
  • Rail Baltica (Warsaw - Baltics)
  • New Silk Road via Malaszewicze/Brest (BY)

Inland ports

  • Oder/Odra waterway (limited navigability)
  • Vistula/Wisła (restricted navigability)

Main trade lanes

  • Germany - Poland
  • China - Poland (rail/sea)
  • Poland - Czech Republic
  • Poland - United Kingdom
  • Poland - Ukraine

Customs and import

Customs authority Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS) - National Revenue AdministrationOfficial website ↗

Import customs system
EU Customs Code (UCC). National e-customs platform PUESC with AIS/IMPORT for import declarations, ICS2 for security data. Poland has been part of the EU customs union with the common external tariff (TARIC) since 1.5.2004.
Export customs system
EU export procedure via the PUESC platform with AES (Automatyczny System Eksportu). NCTS Phase 5 for dispatch and transit. Responsible authority: Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS).
Import VAT
Import VAT (VAT/PTU): standard rate 23 percent, reduced rates 8 and 5 percent, 0 percent for certain goods. Assessed on customs value plus duty plus incidental costs. Collected by the KAS.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements
EUR.1, EUR-MED, origin declaration on the invoice (registered exporters REX), certificate of origin. As an EU member, Poland uses the EU free trade and preferential agreements.
Restricted and prohibited goods
Weapons and ammunition, dual-use goods, drugs and precursors, protected species (CITES), excise goods (alcohol, tobacco, energy) subject to licence or permit requirements. Detailed checks via PUESC/TARIC.

Typical import documents

  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Electronic import declaration (PUESC/AIS)
  • Transport document (CMR, AWB, B/L)
  • Proof of origin (EUR.1 / origin declaration) for preferential treatment
  • If applicable, import licences/permits

Typical export documents

  • Export declaration (PUESC/AES)
  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Proof of origin (EUR.1 / EUR-MED / origin declaration)
  • Transport document (CMR, AWB, B/L)
  • If applicable, export licence (dual-use)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity
Medium
Port congestion
Medium
Dangerous goods relevance
Medium to high
Pharma and cold chain relevance
Medium to high
E-commerce relevance
Very high

Trade

Top import goods

  • Machinery
  • Vehicles
  • Crude oil
  • Electronics
  • Chemicals

Top export goods

  • Vehicles
  • Machinery
  • Furniture
  • Electronics
  • Food

Typical cargo

  • Vehicles and parts
  • Machinery
  • Furniture
  • Electronics
  • Chemicals
  • Food
  • E-commerce parcels

Upcoming public holidays

  • Independence DayWed, 11 Nov 2026 · businesses closed
  • Christmas EveThu, 24 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • Second Day of ChristmasSat, 26 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
  • EpiphanyWed, 6 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
  • Easter SundaySun, 28 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
  • Easter MondayMon, 29 Mar 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

Logistics questions

Which customs system does Poland use for imports and exports?

Poland processes customs declarations through the national e-customs platform PUESC of the Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS). Imports run via AIS/IMPORT, exports via AES, dispatch and transit via NCTS. As an EU member, the EU Customs Code (UCC) applies.

What is the import VAT rate in Poland?

The standard rate is 23 percent. In addition, there are reduced rates of 8 and 5 percent and a 0 percent rate for certain goods. Import VAT is calculated on customs value plus duty plus incidental costs and collected by the KAS.

Which seaports are the most important in Poland?

The largest ports are Gdansk (Danzig) with the DCT deep-water container terminal, Gdynia, and the twin port Szczecin-Swinoujscie (Stettin-Swinemünde) with an LNG terminal. Gdansk is now among the largest container ports in the EU.

Which airports are relevant for air freight in Poland?

The most important cargo airports are Warsaw Chopin (WAW) and Katowice/Pyrzowice (KTW), the latter an express and e-commerce hub for DHL, UPS and FedEx. Breslau, Krakow and Warsaw-Modlin also contribute freight volumes.

How does the border with Belarus affect logistics?

Since September 2025, the eastern border has repeatedly been affected by closures, most recently in January 2026. This significantly disrupts China-Europe rail freight via Malaszewicze/Brest; a large share still runs via the Kukuryki crossing. Lead times should be planned with allowance for delays.

Is Poland part of the EU customs union and the euro area?

Poland has been an EU member since 1 May 2004 and is part of the EU customs union and the single market. However, it is not part of the eurozone and continues to use the Polish zloty (PLN) as its national currency.

Which transport corridors connect Poland with Europe?

Poland lies on the North Sea-Baltic Corridor and the Amber Corridor (TEN-T). The A2 (west-east) and A4 (Germany-Ukraine) motorways, as well as Rail Baltica and the Via Carpatia, connect the country with Western, Southern and Eastern Europe.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗

Freight Academy

Powered by Freight Academy, verified 18 Jul 2026. Logistics information, not a sanctions source.

Indicator: the route rules of the Sanctioni check, curated from the published sanctions programmes of the UN, EU, UK, Switzerland and the US. Entries: the live version of each list (data sources), updated every 6 hours.

A preliminary screening aid — not legal advice and not a compliance clearance. The official publication of the competent authority prevails.

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