Poland could have a national REIT regime by January 2018, making it the fifteenth European country to develop a listed REIT sector.
At the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) conference in London today, Tobias Steinmann, EPRA director of public affairs, said Poland’s ministry of finance wanted to pass the necessary legislation quickly and had set a January target.
Poland is the sixth largest economy in Europe and the largest in the CEE European region.
“There are some questions re tax issues and listing requirements and the bill hasn’t gone to Parliament yet, but the ministry wants it in law in January 2018,” he said.
EPRA is also advocating the introduction of REITs in Sweden, which has the largest listed real estate sector in the Nordics. The Swedish government is discussing revisions to the tax regime for property in the country and EPRA considers this an opportunity to introduce its proposals.
A working group has been set up to draft ideas for how a Swedish regime might look.
Listed property companies in Sweden were amongst those most recognised by EPRA's annual awards this year, after every listed firm disclosed data.