The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ) together with the Ministry of Regional Development (MRR) organised a seminar devoted to the possibilities entrepreneurs in Poland have to obtain EU subsidies. The meeting which took place on September 29th at the Novotel hotel in Warsaw, served also as an opportunity to present the latest PAIiIZ and MRR edition of “The EU-funds for entrepreneurs” guide.

The seminar was geared towards Polish and foreign business entities interested in obtaining subsidies from EU-funds. Iwona Chojnowska, Director of the PAIiIZ Investors' Servicing Department presented investment incentives available in Poland including tax exemptions offered by the special economic zones, governmental close-end grants and training enticements. BoĹźena Lublińska – Kasprzak, Deputy to Chief Executive Officer of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development discussed activities undertaken in the frame of operational programmes for human capital, investment and research and development activities. Szymon Rozmus, a representative of the Ministry of Economy familiarised the participants with the details of subsidy application process within, popular among big investors, priority 4.5 of the Operational Programme - Innovative Economy (IE OP). In turn, Ms Agnieszka Rendemann form the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, an institution implementing a variety of priorities within the - Infrastructure and Environment (IaE OP) focused on grants for environmental protection projects.

The latest edition of “The EU-funds for entrepreneurs” guide, an effect of joint efforts on the part of PAIiIZ and MRR, was also presented on the seminar. The guide has been the first publication on the Polish market to encompass a comprehensive set of information concerning the realization of priorities within operational programmes geared towards entrepreneurs, institutions and business environment. The publication includes addresses of institutions working on the implementation of the programmes, the amount of possible funding, case studies of projects and assessment criteria. To date the publication has been available in Polish and English, French and German versions of the guide are expected to be issued soon.

Mr Jarosław Pawłowski, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Regional Development and Mr Paweł Wojciechowski, PAIiIZ President attended the meeting. Minister Pawłowski emphasized that round one third of EU funds is allocated for entrepreneurs’ support and added that the present version of the guide is to be continually updated. Mr Paweł Wojciechowski, the moderator of the meeting, informed also that the Agency has recently become a beneficiary of the Operational Programme - Development of Eastern Poland (EPD OP) co-financed from EU funds.

EU funds have been enjoying a considerable interest on the part of entrepreneurs. President Wojciechowski announced planes for the creation of an information and consultancy point for entrepreneurs interested in obtaining detailed information concerning the EU funds application process for investment projects. The information point is to be set up in PAIiIZ at the beginning of 2009.