Why Poland? - Forum Ekonomiczne

Why Poland?
Poland is a great place In which to invest and develop business. In the Ernst &Young European
Attractiveness Survey 2010 report Poland was chosen by managers from international companies as
the most frequently considered location for new foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe.
The Polish market, with 38 million potential customers, is one of the largest in the European Union.
A convenient location in the centre of Europe and at the crossroads of its main communication
routes makes it possible to export goods from Poland to all European countries and to reach over
half a billion consumers. Poland’s main trade partners include Germany, Russia, China, France, Great
Britain, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine and Spain.
Well-educated Polish economists, engineers, IT specialists and scientists are appreciated and
sought-after employees of IT companies, research and development centres and scientific institutes.
The Polish economy has solid foundations for stable development. Global economic crisis has left
Poland unscathed and Poland is the only country in Europe that did not experience recession (in fact
it was developing at the fastest pace on the continent).
Export and internal demand are not falling, either. The latest Eurostat data show that growth of
retail sales in Poland was the highest in the European Union when compared with last year.
Global concerns are happy to choose Poland as a location for new investment in Europe. The
FDI value in Poland in 2009 amounted to Euro 9.95 billion and preliminary data for the year 2010
suggests a figure of Euro 5.34 billion.
Poland offers incentives to foreign companies. One of many possibilities is the location of
investment in a Special Economic Zone, of which there are 14 in Poland. Special Economic Zones
offer new investors attractive tax relief, facilitated employment processes and well-prepared areas
for investment.
A considerable potential customer market
Poland is one of the largest European Union member states. It is the sixth largest potential
customer market in the EU and is the largest market in Central and Eastern Europe. It is much bigger,
more absorbing and diversified than in other countries in the region. Here, in the centre of Europe,
you can develop your company’s operations and export goods easily to the large Eastern market.
Despite the unfavorable situation of the global financial markets, economic growth in Poland in
2009 was the highest on the continent and amounted to 1.7 per cent, whereas in the third quarter
of 2010 it was the highest among all EU member states – 4.7 per cent (seasonally adjusted). This is
based, to a large extent, on internal demand.
By investing in Poland, a country with a great geographical location and a large, absorbing
internal market, foreign companies find new prospects for development. From our country, thanks to
developed communication routes and the proximity of both Western and Eastern European markets,
investors can develop their export operations and reach new recipients.
EU structural funds
Investors present on the Polish market can hope not only for great conditions for investing but also
for direct help. Besides tax incentives passed by councils of communities and different forms of aid,
for instance, in Special Economic Zones, they can also count on structural funds. In the years 2007-
2015 Poland will receive over Euro 67 billion from the European Union budget for improvements to
the competitiveness of its economy.
EU aid will be available for projects in almost all sectors of economy and in the 2007-2015 period
Poland will be the largest beneficiary of European EU funds. To plan their distribution and usage
effective Operational Programs, Regional Operational Programs and Programs of European Territorial
Cooperation (Interreg IV) have been created.