European Funds in Poland

1. Cohesion Policy
   
2. European funds in Poland in the years 2007-2013
   
3. European funds in other Visegrad Group Countries
   
4. Rules for project development

1. General information

   
   The goal of European Cohesion Policy is to diminish discrepancies between regions of the European Union. Is it the most important instrument of financial solidarity from part of the Member States. For the implementation of the CohesionPolicy between 2007-2013 there has been granted 347 billion EUR. Its three objectives - Convergence, Regional competitiveness and employment and European Territorial Copperation are supported from three funds - Structural Funds: European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, as well as Cohesion Fund.
   
   Poland implements two objectives - Convergence and European Territorial Cooperation (cross-border, cross-national and international cooperation between EU members).
   
   The amount of European input in the implementation of National Strategic Reference Framework between 2007-2013 is 67.3 billion EUR which makes Poland the biggest beneficiary of the European Funds. Over 66.5 billion EUR is implemented under the Convergence objective, over 557.7 mln EUR has been granted for the European Territorial Cooperation. In addition, over 173.3 mln EUR has been granted for the cross-border cooperation programmes (with usage of the European Neigbourhood and Partnership Instrument).
   
   Under the Convergence objective 67% of financial means will come from the Structural Funds (52% from the European Regional Development Fund, 15% from European Social Fund) and 33% from the Cohesion Fund.
   
   Operational programmes available in Poland are the biggest not only for the years 2007- 2013 but also in EU history. Structural funds are the basic instrument of the EU’s structural policy. 
   
   

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2. European funds in Poland in the years 2007 - 2013

   In the years 2007-2013, entrepreneurs can obtain support under the following Operational Programmes (OP):

   • 5 national Operational Programmes;
     
   • 16 Regional Operational Programmes;
     
   • European Territorial Co-operation Programmes.

   Programme	Billion EUR
   Infrastructure and Environment OP	27.9
   16 Regional OP	16.6
   Human Capital OP	9.7
   Innovative Economy OP	8.3
   Development of Eastern Poland OP	2.3
   Technical Assistance OP	0.5
   European Territorial Co-operation OP	0.7
   National Reserve	1.3
   Total amount	67.3

   
   
   

   

   
    

3. European funds in other Visegrad Group Countries
   
   
   

   

    

   Slovakia

   August 17th 2007 the European Commision has accepted the National Strategic Reference Framemowrk of the Slovak Republic, which had reported 11 Operational Programmes. In the current Financial Perspective Slovakia implements three Cohesion Policy objectives - Convergence, Regional Competitiveness and European Territorial Cooperation. The Convergence Objective covers the whole territory of Slovakia (in case of priorities co-financed from the CF) and the whole territory of Slovakia except for Bratislava region in case of priorities co-financed from the Structural Funds. The Bratislava Region implements the Regional competitiveness and employment objective. The European Territorial Cooperation is not included in the National Strategic Reference Framework. Slovakia, for the period 2007-2013 has been granted 11 360 619 950 EUR, with the European Territorial Cooperation Programmes - 11.587 billion EUR (7.689 from the Structural Funds and 3.898 from the Cohesion Fund).
   
   The majority of Slovakian Operational Programmes are included in the Convergence Objective and are co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund - Regional Operational Programme, OP Informatisation of Society, OP Competitiveness and Economic Growth and OP Health. Two Operational Programmes are financed from the ERDF and CF - OP Transport and OP Environment. Three Operational Programmes, which are common for the Convergence and Regional Competitiveness and Growth Objectives, cover the whole territory of Slovakia (including Bratislava region) - OP Research and Development (ERDF), Employment and social inclusion (ESF) and OP Education (ESF). The implementation of the OP under the Convergence Objective is also supported from the OP Technical assistance. OP Bratislava region is co-financed from the ERDF and implemented by the Slovak Ministry of Construction and Regional Development. It aims at improvement of regional infrastructure, creation of economy based on knowledge and improvement of life quality in the Bratislava region.
   
   The biggest OP in Slovakia are: OP Transport (3 206 904 595  EUR; for the construction of roads there has been granted 1.7 billion EUR), OP Environment (1 800 000 000 EUR) and Regional OP which covers 7 Slovak kraje (1 445 000 000  EUR).
   
   

   Operational Programme	Fund	Co-financing (community contribution - EUR)
   Regional	ERDF	1 445 000 000
   Environment	ERDFCF	1 800 000 000
   Transport	ERDFCF	3 206 904 595
   Informatisation of society	ERDF	993 095 405
   Research and Development	ERDF	1 209 415 373
   Competitiveness and Economic Growth	ERDF	772 000 000
   Health	ERDF	250 000 000
   Technical assistance	ERDF	97 601 421
   Bratislava Region	ERDF	87 000 000
   Employment and social inclusion	ESF	881 801 578
   Education	ESF	617 801 578
   In total:		11 360 619 950 (* with ETC programmes - 11.587 billion EUR)

    

   Hungary

   The Operational Programmes for the years 2007-2013 have been presented in the National Strategic Reference Framework - New Hungary Development Plan 2007-2013 (the document was accepted by the European Commission May 7th 2007). The main objective is the expansion of employment and the establishment of the conditions of sustained economic growth. The territory of Hungary falls under three objectives of the Cohesion Policy - Convergence, Regional Competitiveness and Employment and European Territorial Competitiveness.
   
   
   The amount of community contribution in the implementation of Hungarian National Strategic Reference Framework between 2007-2013 is 25.3 billion EUR. Hungary reported 15 Operational Programmes - 8 countrywide and 7 regional. The programmes in the European Territorial Cooperation do not belong to the National Strategic Reference Framework.
   
   
   The biggest OP is Transport (6 027 275 303 EUR).
   
   

   Operational Programme	Fund	Co-financing (community contribution - EUR)
   Economic Development	ERDF	2 858 823 730
   Transport	ERDF, CF	6 027 275 303
   Social Renewal	ESF	3 482 518 044
   PO Social Infrastructure	ERDF	1 948 922 941
   Environment and Energy	ERDF, CF	4 178 846 341
   West Pannon	ERDF	463 752 893
   Central Transdanubia	ERDF	507 919 836
   South Transdanubia	ERDF	705 136 988
   South Great Plain	ERDF	748 714 608
   North Great Plain	ERDF	975 070 186
   North Hungary	ERDF	903 723 589
   Central Hungary	ERDF	1 467 196 353
   State Reform	ERDF	146 570 507
   Electronic Public Administration	ERDF	358 445 113
   Implementation	ERDF	315 132 937
   In total:		25 088 049 369 (*with ETC programmes - 25.3 billion EUR)

    

   Czech Republic

   The Czech Republic received 26.7 billion EUR for the period 2007-2013 (25.9 billlion EUR for the Convergence Objective, 0.4 billion EUR for the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective and 0.4 billion EUR for ETC programmes which do not constitute part od the National Strategic Reference Framework. The Convergence objective is implemented in the Central Bohemia, Central Moravia and regions of Nothwest, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast Czechia, the Regional Competitiveness and Employment in Prague Region. The main objectives of the National Strategic Reference Framework are competitive Czech economy, open, flexible and cohesive society, attractive environment and balanced territory development.
   
   
   The implementation of Czech National Strategic Reference Framework is based on 17 Operational Programmes - 14 financed from the European Regional Development Fund (2 of them also from Cohesion Fund) and 3 from European Social Fund.

   NSRF Financial Table
   Operational Programme	Fund	Total (EUR)
   Convergence Objective	Community Contribution
   ERDF and CF
   OP Enterprise and Innovations	ERDF	3 041 312 546
   OP Research and Development for Innovations	ERDF	2 070 680 884
   OP Environment	ERDF, CF	4 917 867 098
   OP Transport	ERDF, CF	5 774 081 203
   Integrated OP	ERDF	1 553 010 664
   Regional Operational Programmes		4 659 031 986
   Central Bohemia	ERDF	559 083 839
   Southwest	ERDF	619 651 254
   Northwest	ERDF	745 911 021
   Southwest	ERDF	704 445 636
   Northeast	ERDF	656 457 606
   Moravia-Silesia	ERDF	716 093 217
   Central Moravia	ERDF	657 389 413
   OP Technical Assistance	ERDF	243 835 110
   ESF
   OP Human Resources and Employment	ESF	1 811 845 772
   OP Education for Competitiveness	ESF	1 811 845 772
   Total Convergence Objective		25 883 511 035
   Of which: Regional Convergence		17 064 488 596
   Total ERDF		13 440 797 052
   Total ESF		3 623 691 544
   Cohesion Fund		8 819 022 439
   Competitiveness/Employment Objective	Community Contribution
   ERDF
   OP Prague Competitiveness	ERDF	234 936 005
   Integrated OP	ERDF	29 379 498
   OP Technical Assistance	ERDF	3 948 062
   ESF
   OP Prague Adaptability	ESF	108 385 242
   OP Human Resources and Employment	ESF	25 575 633
   OP Education for Competitiveness	ESF	16 869 009
   Total Competitiveness Objective		419 093 449
   Total ERDF		268 263 565
   Total ESF		150 829 884
   Total NSRF		26 302 604 484

   
   
   

4. Rules for project development

 

Define:

• Project’s objective;
  
• Expected effect and benefits to be derived from the project;
  
• Starting and closing date of project implementation as well as duration of the particular stages of the project;
  
• Project’s implementation path;
  
• Persons involved in the project;
  
• Project costs;
  
• Actions necessary in order to start project implementation;
  
• Limitations and threats to project implementation;
  
• Analysis of sources of financing;
  
• Analysis of requirements to be met by the beneficiary and the project (whether it is eligible for the co-financing or not);
  
• Analysis of criteria of the technical and financial analysis of the project.

Remember:

• The financing authority will not assign any funds until it is presented with a coherent, logical and complete project;
  
• Development of a project requires considerable expenditure of time and money;
  
• Not all projects will be granted support (failure to meet the criteria or comply with the procedures);
  
• The project must be addressed to a clearly specified group of beneficiaries and respond to documented needs;
  
• The project must be in line with the beneficiary’s statutory objectives and individual strategy;
  
• The project should contain a detailed timetable of actions, a cost estimate, as well as a system of promotion, monitoring and evaluation;
  
• The project costs must be fairly calculated based on the actual costs incurred with account being taken of any unexpected circumstances.

Important:

A beneficiary should ensure sustainability of project results for a minimum period of 5 years or, in the case of SMEs, minimum 3 years following project completion.

It is also possible to combine various forms of regional aid provided that its total value does not exceed the maximum permissible aid intensity on a given investment project.