11 transactions were executed using one payment card, whereas in the EU Member States, more than 35 transactions per one card were recorded. A detailed discussion of these issues and proposals of potential activities aimed at the spreading of non-cash payments will be delivered by Mr. Adam Tochmański, Director of the Payment System Department, in the second part of today’s session. There is no doubt, however, that a strong link exists between the development of the payment system and the e-economy. Efficient and modern payment infrastructure is required for settlement of transactions in the e-economy, whereas the volume of those transactions will grow only in the environment of rapidly developing e-economy and e-administration that support one another. I have mentioned previously the economic transformations related to the advancing globalization. It is crystal clear that administration does not remain indifferent to the globalization forces. Although the functions of administration have retained their objectives as defined in a traditional nation-state — creating the strategy and conducting the policy, establishing the law and regulations, and providing services to citizens — their scope has already changed. To give an example, determining the strategy and conducting the policy cannot take place without participation of specialists in a given field from outside the public sector, the law and conditions of operation must be aligned with the trends brought in by globalization, and the provision of public services must take into account the growing needs of citizens, efficiency maximization and the chances that the use of practices of the private sector gives.

BIS Review 23/2006  5  our ability to effect settlements with tax offices (submit tax returns and effect payments), obtain a driving license or register a vehicle online. We have been assigned the last position among the EU Member States due to the lack of possibility to register a company online — we cannot even download the forms from the website. For a contrast, in seven EU Member States there is already a possibility to register a company online, without any additional paper-based procedures. The only area in which Poland meets all the criteria to catch up with the leaders, is the ability to submit customs declarations online. This service is available at top quality in a decisive majority of the EU Member States and only six countries provide it at a level lower than maximum. 20 It is worth noting that the purpose of e-administration expansion is not to rank high but to bring measurable and specific benefits to citizens, companies, the public administration itself and the entire economy. The research conducted by the European Commission shows that EU citizens save approx. seven million hours yearly given their ability to settle the income tax (submit tax returns or effect payments) online. If such a service were commonly available and exploited, the amount of time saved by EU citizens in connection with the income tax settlement could hit 100 million hours yearly. It has been estimated that each transaction online reduces the amount of time spent for its execution by more than an hour.