National incentives

摘要

Poland offers businesses many economic incentives to invest in the country. As a member of the EU, financing possibilities include access to the European Commission's Structural Funds and other instruments of the EU's Cohesion Policy. Such funds are meant to help reduce social and economic disparities in development between specific regions and to promote macroeconomic growth. They can support various activities, ranging from environmental-protection projects to human-resources development. The level of co-financing varies, depending on the type of business activity and the level of allowed public aid. Under the EU's Cohesion Policy, Poland has consistently been one of the greatest beneficiaries of EU support among its member states. Under its latest co-financing programme for 2021-27, Poland is due to receive €72.3bn, over half of which (€45.3bn) is to be administered by the European Regional Development Fund, which focuses its investments on priority areas such as innovation and research, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In allocating funds, the EU has noted that Poland faces five key "investment-relevant challenges": low innovation performance (including limited access to workers with digital skills); slow progress on air pollution (due to dependence on coal) and other environmental concerns; connectivity gaps; unsatisfactory quality of education and long-term healthcare; and acute disparities in development between urban and rural areas, as well as among regions. Regardless, Poland generally does not face problems attracting new investment in established sectors where it has demonstrated comparative advantage over recent decades, such as in automobile and related manufacturing. The challenges pointed out in the EU's Cohesion Policy for Poland are more relevant to investment in emerging technology-intensive service industries.