Poland

16/12/2010
On 6-7 December a delegation from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce visited the Polish city of Lodz, the capital of a region with which the West Midlands first established links seven years ago.

HWCC’s Chief Executive Mike Ashton and Eric Brown, Director of International Trade, came to Lodz to participate in 3rd edition of the European Economic Forum where they gave presentations on the Chamber and its activities, as well as business links between the West Midlands and Poland.

Since EEF is an event organised by the regional government, the visit also constituted an opportunity to meet the newly-elected president of the Lodz Region (called the Marshal) and talk about possibilities for future cooperation. A visit by the representatives of Lodz regional authorities to the West Midlands next year was suggested.

On the second day of their stay in Lodz Mike and Eric met with local entrepreneurs at the British Honorary Consulate to speak about opportunities for investment and trade with the West Midlands. A project aimed at students of agricultural schools, which will be co-organised by the Chamber and the Consulate next year, was also discussed.

For more information on the visit or trading with Poland please contact Eric Brown, Director of International Trade at ericb@hwchamber.co.uk.

Key Team Member
Katarzyna Stachurska recently joined the Chamber on a 3-month placement as an International Trade Assistant. She is Polish and for the past 2.5 years has been working for the local government of the Lodz Region – a region that ranked the most attractive investment area in Poland in 2009.

As a member of the International Cooperation Team in the Marshal’s Office of the Lodz Region she has been responsible for managing the cooperation with the West Midlands – Lodz’s partner region.

At the Chamber of Commerce in Worcester Kasia is trying to assist local companies with preparing for business in Poland. She has a Master’s degree in International Relations.
Kasia can be contacted via email here.

19/05/2010
Worcester International Trade team's visit to Poland's Aviation Valley report - read more.

Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Before 2009, GDP had grown about 5% annually, based on rising private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is similar to that of the three Baltic states.

Since 2004, EU membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy. Unemployment fell rapidly to 6.4% in October 2008, climbed back to 8.9% by January 2010, but remains below the EU average.

In 2008 inflation reached 4.3%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, but fell to 3.5% in January 2010 due to global economic slowdown. Poland's economic performance could improve over the longer term if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure and its business environment.

An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, burdensome tax system, and persistent low-level corruption keep the private sector from performing up to its full potential. Rising demands to fund health care, education, and the state pension system present a challenge to the Polish Government's effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007-09.

The PO/PSL coalition government, which came to power in November 2007, plans to reduce the budget deficit in 2010 and has also announced its intention to enact business-friendly reforms, increase workforce participation, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization.

The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. The legislature passed a law significantly limiting early retirement benefits. A health-care bill also passed through the legislature, but the legislature failed to overturn a presidential veto.

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