Poland

Business etiquette
This focuses on the behaviour deemed appropriate in a professional setting and you’ll be
more likely to make an excellent impression on people you encounter, if you maintain a
professional approach.
Basic tips to follow when doing business in Poland:
■ Greetings should include a firm handshake and direct eye contact; if there are a
number of people, they should all be greeted individually, rather than a general
wave or nod of acknowledgement.
■ Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand and Polish men will sometimes
kiss a woman on the hand, as a sign of respect.
■ Gifts are usually opened immediately and should not be overly expensive.
■ If you are giving flowers, make sure that they are given in odd numbers and avoid
flowers that have cultural significance, especially yellow chrysanthemums, which
are used at funerals, and red or white flowers such as carnations and lilies.
■ If you wish to meet with someone, you will have to make an appointment in
advance.
■ Letters should be addressed to the company rather than to a specific person. This
prevents a letter from being held up if the person it is addressed to is away from
the office.
■ Punctuality is expected and taken extremely seriously.
■ Initial meetings are scheduled as introductions to see whether you are trustworthy;
and a first meeting may be with a middle manager, rather than the actual decision
maker.
■ Poles are known for being straight-talkers, but they still try to be diplomatic about
their opinions, so as not to offend their business partners.
■ Expect some small talk and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is
discussed.
■ Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled
by the strict adherence to protocol.
■ Companies tend to have a hierarchical structure, with decision-making power held
at the top of the company.
■ Presentations should be clear, accurate and detailed and you should have charts
and figures to back up your claims, where necessary.
■ Always maintain direct eye contact while speaking
Social Etiquette
● In Poland, people are expected to maintain a basic appearance of courtesy at all

times. This involves paying attention and giving consideration to one’s smaller
actions, being helpful and generally professional.
● Casual clothing can be considered inappropriate in public. For example, one
would rarely be seen barefoot in public. People tend to dress neatly.
● It is considered impolite to ask a woman her age.
● Some Poles (especially those who are older) take the time to show women a
heightened degree of respect and consideration. They may offer their hand to
assist a woman in getting out of her seat, offer their arm for women to walk,
and hold or open doors for women. It is also polite to stand when a woman
enters the room or offer her your seat if she needs one. This chivalry may not be
so relevant for those born after the 1960s.
● It’s considered bad manners to keep your hands in your pockets while talking to
someone.
● Avoid resting your ankle on your other knee whilst sitting.
● Jaywalking, drinking in public places and smoking in non-designated areas are
all generally frowned upon.
● Lateness is a sign of bad manners and carelessness in Poland. People are
expected to be punctual in both professional and social situations. However,
tardiness is still fairly common. Furthermore, it is good to be flexible as events
and schedules can be delayed or changed quite rapidly around unforeseen
circumstances.
Visiting
● Visits from family and friends may occur unannounced in Poland.

● People may bring a bottle of wine, flowers (see Gifts below) or chocolates as a
courtesy gift on arrival. The host will usually open these or place them on a
table so that both hosts and guests can enjoy what was brought.
● Offer to remove your shoes before entering someone else’s home. It is not
always necessary to do so, but it is a polite gesture to ask.
● Make an effort to compliment a host’s hospitality during your visit. If dining at
their home, this can be done graciously through a toast (see Eating below for
more information).
Eating
● If you are a guest for a meal, it is best to arrive with an empty stomach to
accommodate how much food will be served. Guests are usually served first
and encouraged to eat more.
● In Poland, lunch (obiad) is often eaten between about 2 or 3pm (or even later).
It is the main meal of the day and may consist of multiple courses.
● Dinner is generally quite a light meal.
● For religious reasons, some Polish people do not eat meat on Fridays and may
replace it with fish instead.
● When about to dine, it is polite to wait for a moment to see if someone will say
a prayer of thanks prior to eating their meal. Older Catholic Poles may say
‘grace’ before a meal.
● It is traditional Polish hospitality to offer alcohol with meals; however, it is
often not drunk until someone has proposed a toast. People often toast with
hard liquor to “your health” (na zdrowie) and “friendship”. If your host stands
to toast, follow suit. If proposing a toast yourself, it is important that you make
eye contact with the people at the table as you speak.
● If you do not wish to drink, make it clear that your refusal is earnest and not
just a gesture of politeness.
● If you only give a faint refusal when offered a second or third serving of food,
expect it to be ignored.
● If at a restaurant, it is polite to tip around 10% of the bill. However, this is not
obligatory.
Gifts
● When visiting a home, it’s a kind gesture to give the hostess an odd number of
flowers, unwrapped.
● Avoid red or white flowers, especially roses (reserved for lovers), carnations (a
symbol of the labour movement) and chrysanthemums (used at funerals).
Gerberas may be the preferred flower.
● Gifts may not be opened in front of the giver.
● Hard liquors as well as liqueurs are good gifts, as well as gourmet coffee and
perfume.
● Avoid giving excessively expensive gifts. The grandness of the gesture can
embarrass the recipient.
Identify a product/service which India exports to the rest of the world, but the same
product Poland imports from rest of the world and not India
Product Name: Ships, Boat and Floating Structure
Poland imports $2.05 Billion (0.75% of total imports) in 2019.

Source:https://oec.world/en/profile/country/pol?
depthSelector1=HS2Depth&depthSelector2=HS2Depth
India exports Ships, Boat and Floating Structure $5.69 Billion

Sourece:https://tradestat.commerce.gov.in/eidb/ecomcnt.asp
Trade Figures with Poland in 2019-20 (in Million Dollars)
Section
Particulars Exports Imports
No.
1 Live Animals; Animal Products 10.56 1.04
2 Vegetable Products 49.26 19.03
Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils and their cleavage products;
3 0.54 0.01
Prepared Edible Fats or vegetable waxes
Prepared Foodstuffs; Beverages; Spirits and Vinegar; Tobacco
4 49.95 4.10
and manufactured tobacco substitutes
5 Mineral Products 16.18 280.66
6 Products of the chemicals or Allied industries 182.08 41.15
7 Plastics and Articles thereof; Rubber and Articles thereof 94.61 51.18
Raw Hides and Skins, Leather, Furskins and articles thereof;
8 Saddlery and Harness; Travel goods, Handbags and similar 27.40 4.85
containers; Articles of animal guts (other than Silk-worm gut)
Wood and Articles of Wood; Wood Charcoal; cork and articles or
9 cork; Manufactures of Straw, of Esparto or of other Plaiting 1.08 5.45
Materials; Basketware and Wickerwork
Pulp of wood or of other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Recovered
10 (Waste and Scrap) Paper or Paperboard; Paper And Paperboard 3.84 17.92
and articles thereof
11 Textile and Textile Articles 330.52 9.31
Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Sun Umbrellas, Walking-sticks,
seat-sticks, whips, Riding-crops and Parts thereof; Prepared
12 83.48 0.42
Feathers and articles Made therewith; artificial Flowers; Articles
of Human Hair
Articles of Stone, Plaster, Cement, Asbestos, Mica or similar
13 82.73 5.12
Materials; Ceramic Products; Glass and Glassware
Natural or Cultured Pearls, Precious or Semi-Precious Stones,
14 Precious Metals, Metals clad with Precious Metal, and articles 11.32 100.08
thereof; Imitation Jewellery; Coin
15 Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal 219.28 113.94
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Electrical Equipment;
Parts thereof; sound Recorders and Reproducers, Television
16 252.10 129.62
Image and Sound Recorders and reproducers, Television Image
and sound Recorders and Reproducers, and Par
17 Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels and Associated Transport Equipment 80.91 22.89
Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, measuring, checking,
18 precision, medical or surgical Instruments and apparatus; clocks 30.59 13.74
and watches; musical instruments; part and accessories thereof
19 Arms and Ammunition; Parts and Accessories thereof 0.34 -
20 Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles 21.20 19.51
21 Works of art, Collectors' Pieces and Antiques 0.01 9.46
Total 1,547.98 849.48
XTrade Figures with Poland in 2020-21 (in Million Dollars)
Section
No.
3 0.20 0.03
4 52.36 5.73
Wood and Articles of Wood; Wood Charcoal; cork and articles or
9 cork; Manufactures of Straw, of Esparto or of other Plaiting 2.21 4.53
Pulp of wood or of other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Recovered
10 (Waste and Scrap) Paper or Paperboard; Paper And Paperboard 8.01 14.11
and articles thereof
Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Sun Umbrellas, Walking-sticks,
seat-sticks, whips, Riding-crops and Parts thereof; Prepared
12 67.11 0.49
Feathers and articles Made therewith; artificial Flowers; Articles
of Human Hair
13 93.34 5.62
16 343.36 153.45
17 Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels and Associated Transport Equipment 77.41 28.76
19 Arms and Ammunition; Parts and Accessories thereof 0.24 0.01
21 Works of art, Collectors' Pieces and Antiques 0.04 1.57
Total 1,652.51 706.23
Trade Figures with Poland in 2021-22 (April & May) (in Million Dollars)
Section
No.
3 0.24 -
4 8.85 2.04
Wood and Articles of Wood; Wood Charcoal; cork and articles
9 or cork; Manufactures of Straw, of Esparto or of other Plaiting 0.41 0.49
Pulp of wood or of other Fibrous Cellulosic Material;
10 Recovered (Waste and Scrap) Paper or Paperboard; Paper And 1.78 2.93
Paperboard and articles thereof
Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Sun Umbrellas, Walking-
sticks, seat-sticks, whips, Riding-crops and Parts thereof;
12 9.48 0.06
Prepared Feathers and articles Made therewith; artificial
Flowers; Articles of Human Hair
13 19.75 1.04
16 112.41 29.41
Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels and Associated Transport
17 16.34 1.49
Equipment
19 Arms and Ammunition; Parts and Accessories thereof 0.01 -
21 Works of art, Collectors' Pieces and Antiques - -
Total 403.10 202.71
Total Export from India to Poland
https://tradestat.commerce.gov.in/eidb/ecntcom.asp
Total Exports of (89 SHIPS, BOATS AND FLOATING STRUCTURES) to various

countries
https://tradestat.commerce.gov.in/eidb/ecomcnt.asp
List of HS Codes: https://www.cybex.in/hs-codes/

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Business etiquette

Basic tips to follow when doing business in Poland:

● In Poland, people are expected to maintain a basic appearance of courtesy at all

● Visits from family and friends may occur unannounced in Poland.

Product Name: Ships, Boat and Floating Structure

Poland imports $2.05 Billion (0.75% of total imports) in 2019.

India exports Ships, Boat and Floating Structure $5.69 Billion

Total Exports of (89 SHIPS, BOATS AND FLOATING STRUCTURES) to various

List of HS Codes: https://www.cybex.in/hs-codes/

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