Authorities improve performance in handling EU funds

2009-04-10



Central and local authorities are doing a better job in processing applications and approving the release of EU funds, according to latest data from the Ministry of Regional Development. In the words of regional development minister Elzbieta Bienkowska, better-than-expected first-quarter figures mean the ministry is now confidently on track to meet its annual investment target of PLN 16.8bn (approx. €3.8m) to be poured into EU-funded projects. This is important, because EU-funded investments are seen by the government as key to sustaining economic growth in the face of the downturn.
The latest data show that between 1 January and 8 April, agreements were signed for investment grants worth a total of PLN 19bn (€4.3bn). If we add applications which have already been approved but agreements are yet to be signed, the figure rises to PLN 35bn (€7.9bn). According to experts, if the government’s full-year investment target is to be met, in 2009 as a whole agreements should be signed worth a total of PLN 70bn (€15.9bn).
As for funding actually released in Q1, it totalled PLN 2.1bn (€477m), i.e. three times higher than the projected figure. It is expected to accelerate further going forward.