The event focuses on investment opportunities in Poland and Belarus. Participants also discussed the new environment of developing cooperation between the two countries especially in terms of Belarus membership in Eurasian Economic Union.

President Sławomir Majman - moderator of Poland-Belarus Investment Forum

Both countries have relatively remained untouched by the economic crisis. Already about 360 Polish companies do business in Belarus, however Poland is only the 10th European investor in this country. As it was noted by deputy prime minister Piechociński, last year the mutual trade volume increased by 7%, and this year, despite the situation in the Eastern Europe, it continued to increase (+ 3%). Deputy prime minister Mikhail Russyj added that the volume of bilateral trade already returned to the level before the economic crisis.

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding - PAIiIZ and NAIP

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141131/good_land_of_good_people. (PAIiIZ)

PAIiIZ representatives presented the investment climate in Poland, with particular emphasis on the industrial sector.

Yunnan is a mountain province located in the South-Western part of China, bordering on Vietnam, Laos, and Burma. The province recorded annual GDP growth at the level of 13.7%. Local economy bases on tobacco, agriculture, mining and tourism sectors. Major industrial enterprises operate in the area of smelting of copper, steel manufacturing, automobiles, chemicals, textiles and optical instruments.

Delegation from Yunnan visiting PAIiIZ

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141128/vice_governor_of_yunnan_honghe_prefecture_visits_paiiiz. (PAIiIZ)

Basing on the results obtained by the Mielec SEZ in 2013 regarding the creation of new jobs, the zone estimates that in the recently added plots about 5,722 new jobs will be created while to total value of investments should reach almost PLN 1,481m. Due to the expansion, the zone will get bigger by over 1,460 hectares. (Ministry of Economy)

So far Solaris has delivered almost 350 buses including 40 InterUrbino buses as well as trolleybuses to Italian operators. At the present moment, buses with a green dachshund mascot at a front of every Solaris’s vehicle, operate in Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Genoa, Naples, Parma and Rome among other Italian places. (Solaris Bus & Coach)

During the meeting, the latest results of the Randstad’s and TNS’s survey conducted in August among 1,000 employers in Poland will be presented. The survey will be commented by PAIiIZ president Sławomir Majman and Agnieszka Bulik, Board Member at Randstad.

To confirm your attendance, please contact us at the following address: beata.jez@paiz.gov.pl by 5 December, until 14.00

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141208/labour_market_in_poland. (PAIiIZ)

The debate is directed to businessmen who want to develop contacts and bilateral cooperation with Africa counterparts, as well as to those who are interested in undertaking financial and investment activities on non-European markets (especially African ones). During the meeting, speakers will share their experience on the expansion of companies to third markets. They will also tell about how to use EU and international support in business activity.

Participation in the conference is free of charge. The debate will be translated to English, French and Portuguese.

The online registration is available until 5 December by www.paiz.gov.pl/third_markets

The number of places is limited. We reserve the right to close the registration earlier.

More information on: www.msz.gov.pl/pl/polityka_zagraniczna/zagraniczna_polityka_ekonomiczna. (MSZ/PAIiIZ)

During the conference the 4th “R&D Market in Poland - support for research and development activity of enterprises” report prepared by Crido Taxand and PAIiIZ will be presented. National Centre for Research and Development took the patronage over the event.

Registration of participants and media is available on-line by www.paiz.gov.pl/wsparcieBRI until 10 December at 15.00

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141211/r_d_activities_in_poland. (Crido Taxand)

During the conference, international experience in creating science and technology parks as modern instruments to increase investment attractiveness and regional development will be presented.

Applications should be sent by 5 December to: hanna.rakowska@paiz.gov.pl and miroslaw.odziemczyk@paiz.gov.pl until 17:00.

The report has been compiled to the order of PAIiIZ by Warsaw School of Economics under the direction of Professor Hanna Godlewska-Majkowska.

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141205/investment_atractiveness_of_polish_provinces. (PAIiIZ)

During the meeting, the participants will learn about the support for Polish companies provided by Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Polish regarding economic diplomacy in Germany. The offer of Promotion of Trade and Investment Department of the Polish Embassy in Germany and German economic institutions will also be presented.

The event is directed to businessmen, representatives of local authorities and everyone who is interested in doing business in Germany.

Applications should be sent to rodm@rodm-poznan.pl until the 11 December.

The event has been arranged by Instytut Zachodni, Ośrodek Debaty Międzynarodowej. The participation in the meeting is free of charge. More information on www.rodm-poznan.pl/rynek-niemiecki-szansa-dla-polskiego-przedsiebiorcy.html. (RODM)

The seminar’s aim is to familiarise Polish business with the practical aspects of cooperation with a Chinese business partner. Distribution channels, methods of entering the Chinese market and procedures of products registration are the most important highlights of the meeting. The conference is addressed to representatives of Polish companies, special economic zones and to the media.

Companies interested in participating in the event should register online by www.paiz.gov.pl/rynek_spozywczy until 15 December, 12:00.

Admission is free of charge. Conference is held in Polish.

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141218/food_industry_in_china. (PAIiIZ)

Embracing integration process of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia to the European Union required innovation in all aspects of economy and society. The region’s entrepreneurial economy transformed itself by innovating in business, public administration and society-at-large. While the innovation system remains fragmented and requires further investment and institutional changes, statistical data shows the growing number of clusters, patents filed, both graduates and jobs in science and technology, born-global innovative companies, and an increasing private and public R&D expenditure. Yet, the innovation gap remains and is most evident in the small business sector which faces problems with the access to finance and to entrepreneurial ‘know-how’. The next stage of development needs to focus on further increasing investment in R&D, building academia-industry partnerships, providing capital to high-growth companies, and integrating innovation ecosystems within countries and with most innovative economies worldwide. While all countries of the Visegrad Group progress towards these goals, the impact of changes is most evident in Poland. (MSZ/CEED Institute)

Dise_ador-Fotolia.com

Comparing to the previous year, expenses on R&D increased only by 1,4%, while during the last decade the average increase index reached 5,5%. Between 2005 and 2014, expenses on innovation decreased by 17%.

Currently, companies are far more innovative than a decade ago. The amount of expenses on R&D sector does not correspond with the innovation of an industry. The experts stress that achieving a proper refund from R&D investments depends on the company’s consistency between the development strategy and business strategy and company’s ability to generate and provide innovative projects. According to the analysis by Strategy&, companies where innovativeness is an integral part of business strategy, recorded an increase of EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) by 30% during 3 years period of time. Therefore, surveyed companies indicate the need of connecting business strategy with innovation as a key-factor causing innovation success. 76% of innovation leaders that took part in the survey indicated that they achieve better results than 10 years ago.

The survey also shows a significant decrease in expenses on R&D in such sectors as aerospace and defence, health care, electronics, FMCG and telecommunication. On the other hand, the expenses on internet and software development are increasing (by 17%), also energetic and chemical industry as well as industrial sector record an increase of investments in innovation by over 4 %, while automotive sector rises its expenditures on that purpose by 2,1%. Among the countries, Chinese companies note the increase of expenses on R&D by even 46%. In comparison, South American companies decided to spend only 3,4% more funds on innovative actions than in the previous year, European companies increased R&D investment by 2,5%, while Japanese companies lowered expenses on innovations by 14%. In addition, the number of Chinese companies covered by Global Innovation 1000 report increased from 8 in 2005 to 114 in 2014 which indicates increasing position of Chinese industries among companies with highest expenses on R&D in the world.

Among the leaders of the top 10 most innovative companies there are: Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung. (PwC)

Two decades ago, the law regulation regarding special economic zones was appointed. Today, 14 special economic zones that operate in Poland are dominated by small and medium companies. According to the report, 20% of companies doing business in zones are Polish, 15% of them have come from Germany while 12% have been originated in America. “After two decades of SEZs in Poland we can say that they have become a flywheel of change and modernisation for the country’s economy. Special economic zones are not simply a place where companies get tax exemptions and foreign players receive incentives, but they are also an excellent way to support local businesses" - comments PAIiIZ president Sławomir Majman has stated. Special Economic Zones have become a good basis for forming of industrial clusters, specializations or science and technology parks.

In the end of 2013, the total value of invested capital in all zones reached PLN 93,1 billion. By the end of 2014, it may exceed to PLN 100 billion. According to the forecasts made by zones’ management, the employment in Polish SEZs will amount to over 287, 000 people.

KPMG report has been dedicated to potential investors interested in starting their business activity in special economic zones in Poland. Except the description of available incentives and grants offers under the zone programme, the guide contains basic information about all 14 zones operating in Poland. Publication is under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy and PAIiIZ. (KPMG/PAIiIZ)

Polish seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 0.9% compared to the previous quarter and was higher than the previous year by 3.4%. (GUS)

PhD Mamadou Bah who work in Olsztyn branch of the Polish Academy of Science (PAN) was the one who invented the cluster.

“For Africa” Cluster gathers companies and economic institutions, universities, R&D centres, representatives of local and central governments evolved in development of Polish - African cooperation. The cluster has been designed to increase Polish exports of good, services, knowledge and modern technologies to Africa as well as to create mutual science, cultural and social initiatives.

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20141126/for_africa_cluster. (PAIiIZ)