Development Priorities in Regional Operational Programmes prepared by the Polish Regions for the Programming Periode 2007--2013 8 – 11 October 2007, Brussels Barbara Kocowska Office for European Funds Management Lower Silesian Voivodship’s Office

Structure of the presentation General background: programming periode 2004 – 2006 versus 2007 – 2013 Structural Funds allocation for Poland Analysis of 16 RPOs projects: number and contents of Priority Axes evolution of RPO drafts and negotiations with the EC regional solutions and projects’ strategies EU priorities as formulated in the Renewed Lisbon Strategy and assessment of ROPs respective cohesion Opportunities and challenges

Scheme of implementation of Structural Aid for Poland in the Programming Periods 2007—2013 16 Regional Operational Programmes 16 555,6 mln € OP Infrastructure and Environment 27 913,7 mln € OP Human Capital 9 707,2 mln € OP Innovative Economy 8 254,9 mln € OP Eastern Poland’s Development 2 273,8 mln € OP European Territorial Cooperation 731,1 mln € OP Technical Assistance 516,7 mln € 2004—2006 Integrated Regional Operation Programme (16 regional components) 6 Sectoral Operational Programmes CI INTERREG CI EQUAL

2004--2006 2007--2013 Poland 6% Poland 19,4% UE (2000-2006) – 213,0 bln € Poland: 12,8 bln €: 8,6 bln € for 7 Operational Programmes and 2 Community Initiatives (SF) 4,2 bln € (CF) UE (2007-2013) – 347,4 bln € Poland: 67,3 bln €: ERDF: 52 % ESF: 15 % CF: 33 % After the Ministry for Regional Development

RPOs Share in EU funding 16,6 bln € = 24 % of EU allocation for Poland After the Ministry for Regional Development

Evolution of number of Priority Axes in RPO drafts Number of PA September 2006 March 2007 July 2007 Between 6 and 9 12 (3 x 6 PA, 3 x 7 PA, 4 x 8 PA, 2 x 9 PA) 13 10 3 2 More than 10 1 (13 PA) 1 (11 PA) -- 3 reductions: from 13 to 10, from 10 to 9, from 9 to 7 and from 8 to 7 PA 1 increase: from 7 to 8

Strategic Community Guidelines Making Europe and its regions more attractive for investments and employment Knowledge and innovation for growth More better jobs Territorial dimension of cohesion policy

Regional Strategies’ Goals Improvement of life quality of the region’s inhabitants and increase of its competitiveness by respecting the rules of sustainable development as well as increase of its social, economic and spatial cohesion and maintaining its cultural and natural diversity

Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, interview for „Gazeta Wyborcza”, 14 September 2006 „The biggest challenge for Poland is today not to develop any projects which will be financed with billions of Euros from European Structural Funds, but to establish a right proportion between investments in the infrastructure, what is called in Europe „investing in concrete”, and investments in innovation. […] Many politicians think that investing in innovation is something for the richest only. But it is not truth – it is mainly for the poorest ones”.

Most Frequent Choices of Priority Axes Infrastructure, transport 16 Environment: protection, resource management, safety 16 Social infrastructure, education, health, life improvement 14 Enterprises, entrepreneurship and innovation 12 Culture and tourism 11 Information society 10 Revalidation of urban areas 10 Energy, clean energy 4 Local development, local infrastructure, territorial potential 4 Competitiveness of regional economy 3 Infrastructure for economic growth 3 Knowledge-based society 2

Review of Regional Solutions Growth and competitiveness of region’s enterprises Strengthening of enterprises’ competitiveness Entrepreneurship and Innovations Stimulating of growth of investments in the enterprises and strengthening of innovation potential Economy, innovation, enterpreneurship Creating opportunities for developing the innovative potential and enterpreneurship in the region Competitive and innovative economy Increase of innovativeness and enhancing enterpreneurship in the region Development and innovation in SMEs RD, innovation and enterpreneurship Development of enterpreneurship Supporting innovation, building of IS and increase of regional investment potential Entrepreneurship Competitiveness of enterprises Economy, innovation, technology

Major Challenges and Opportunities Lack of resources for the beneficiaries’ own contribution Decrease of the level of SF co-financing according to the rules of public aid deepening the above Vulnerability to political pressure and election agenda Deconcentration of resources as result of the „good uncle” syndrome Better identification of regional problems and needs helps take appropriate measures – better implementation of the subsidiarity rule Simplification of procedures and shorter way from project to refundation Coherent spending in accordance with regional development strategies

Thank you for your attention Barbara Kocowska b.kocowska@duw.pl