| POLISH INFOMATION AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT AGENCY | |||||||||||||
NEWSLETTER August 12th, 2010, Issue 187 | |||||||||||||
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TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS
INVESTMENTS IN POLAND
ANALYSES AND REPORTS
DID YOU KNOW...?
NEWS Eastern Poland as an attractive tourist destination The aim of the project, supported financially from the Programme Development of Eastern Poland (PO RPW), is to boost interest in the tourist offer of the five provinces of Eastern Poland: Warmia and Mazury, Podlasie, Podkarpacie, the Lublin and the Świętokrzyskie regions.
The campaign is targeted mainly at tourists from Poland, as well as from Germany and Ukraine. - We want Polish tourists to visit Eastern Poland more often and enjoy the opportunity to get acquainted with its qualities. We hope that in the future they will become ambassadors of those five provinces - stressed the deputy minister of sport and tourism Katarzyna Sobierajska. The budget of the project amounts to PLN 23.944.117,68 (for the period - January 2010 - October 2012). The subsidy comes from the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the Measure V.1 of the Operational Programme Development of Eastern Poland, 2007-2013. - I am convinced that the project that we are talking about today, initiates a real tourist revolution in Eastern Poland. Increased tourists’ interest in this part of Poland means new work opportunities, development of the services sector and improvement of accommodation-relate dservices. - said Krzysztof Hetman, the deputy minister of regional development during a press conference which was organised on July 29th and was dedicated to the project Promotion of the sustainable tourism development. The information campaign Beautiful East run by the Polish Tourist Organisation effectively promotes selected products of active and specialist tourism in each region as well as the regions’ attractive places and culinary tourism. It is worth to emphasise that the regions’ multiculturalism will be stressed in the campaign. The campaign started in July 2010 with an introduction of the Internet site www.pieknywschod.pl. The site has gradually been developed and new functionalities have been added. First press and radio advertisements started to appear and a TV promotion campaign Fis planned as well as a variety of competitions and open air festivals. - We bet on multimedia communication. The kind of media used will be suitable for identified target groups. We also take under consideration the natural periodicity of tourist circulation in Poland - informed Rafał Szmytke, director of the Polish Tourist Organisation (POT). - We also decided to use animals as a regular element of the campaign. We chose animals which evoke positive associations e.g. beavers, turtles and deer. This is not the first programme of promotion of Eastern Poland that is financed from the Programme Development of Eastern Poland. The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ) has been managing economic promotion of the region abroad. - Any promotion initiative should involve comprehensive undertakings- stressed Krzysztof Hetman. - The promotional campaign of Eastern Poland is in tune with other promotional projects carried out by Polish Tourist Organisation e.g. Let’s Promote Poland Together, which aim is to increase the amount of visits of foreign tourists in Poland and to expand the traditional tourist season in Poland. This does not exhaust our development support activities for Eastern Poland. In July, the Polish government adopted the Strategy of Regional Development, which confirm the necessity of continuing PO RPW in the years 2014 - 2020. (Ministry of Regional Development/POT) Conference: Support for business activity in the field of electronic commerce The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency invites to a conferences dedicated to issues connected with “Support for business activity in the field of electronic commerce”, which will be held on August 18th, 2010 at the PAIiIZ Information Centre. The meeting starts at 11 a.m.
The conference is organized in connection with the call for proposals for actions realized within the Measure 8.1 of the Operational Programme Innovative Economy announced by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP). The conference will be attended by specialists of the programme’s implementing institution - the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, representatives of EasySoftware - a company which received a grant from the Measure 8.1 and EU funds specialists from the Polsih Inforamtion and Foreign Investment Agency. Please confirm your participation until August 16th 2010 via e-mail at: info-punkt@paiz.gov.pl Chinese children performed at the Poland Pavilion on Expo in Shanghai On August 10th, dozens of young Chinese artists of between 3 and 9 years of age gave performance in front of the Poland Pavilion. The visit of young artists from the provinces Guangdong, Sichuan, Jilin, Zhejiang and Yunnan formed part of the EXPO Stars charity programme.
Ambassadors of the programme, famous persons of Chinese public life, e.g. Jackie Chan, actor and singer; Lang Lang, pianist and Yao Ming, a basketball player, help children from poor families, as well as from regions affected by natural disasters, visit the World Exposition in Shanghai.
This time the Poland Pavilion was visited by over 100 young artists from 6 dance groups. - The performance transmitted an unbelievable dose of energy. I am convinced that we will see you one day on the most important stages in China, maybe even in the world. We are glad that you came to visit us - said Bogdan Marczewski, Deputy Commissioner General of the Polish Section at EXPO 2010. The children not only performed before the Poland Pavilion but had the possibility to visit the Pavilion’s exhibition and talk to the Polish Dragon, who is one of the guides at the Pavillion, and one of children’s favourite element of the exhibition. - The Polish Dragon is very nice. It is a bit different from our dragons but it speaks Chinese too - approved a five year old Fei Fei.
The Polish Pavilion is one of the national pavilions that closely co-operate with the EXPO Stars office. - This is not our first visit to the hospitable Poland Pavilion. Every time we visit it with great pleasure - said Lan Yi Han of the EXPO Stars office. (PAIiIZ) Go to top...
EUR 578 million for Poland in the new perspective of Financial Mechanisms 2009-2014 Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and the EU signed an agreement on the creation of a new perspective for the European Economic Area and Norway Grants on July 28th, 2010. EUR 788 billion will be made available for projects reducing social and economic disparities within the EEA. EUR 578 million from the amount will be allocated to Poland.
- We are going to get dozens of millions of euros more than under the previous edition of the Grants. The next step for Poland will be to sign agreements with the donor countries - emphasised Adam Zdziebło, Poland’s Deputy Minister for regional development. - We should keep in mind that co-operation under the Grants not only translates into financial assets. It also brings less palpable but equally valuable advantages such as a tightening and improvement of bilateral relations between Poland and the donor countries. The projects that had been financed from the funds allocated for the years 2004-2009 include renovation of several UNESCO World Heritage sites located in Poland, including the Cloth Hall in Karków and the Castle in Malbork. The construction of the European Fairy Tale Centre in Pacanów was also co-financed from the funds. - Sometimes the renovation works financed from the grants contribute to even greater discoveries. It is enough to mention that over 1200 coins from the 18thcentury were discovered during the renovation and adaptation works in the cellars of the Warsaw Old Town - said Adam Zdziebło. Within the new perspective a special attention was drawn to technologies linked with the capture and storage of CO2 (CCS), innovative environment-friendly industry, environment protection, scientific research and grants. Apart from that, also projects in human resources, justice, the Decent Work Fund and promotion of trilateral co-operation as well as civil society and protection of cultural heritage will receive funding. The Grants are planned to be made available in summer 2011. (Ministry of Regional Development) Go to top...
INVESTMENTS IN POLAND New investor in the Radomsko sub zone Manuli Hydraulics Manufacturing has become the next investor in the Łódź Special Economic Zone. The company will construct a new plant in the Radomsko sub zone of the Łódź SEZ where at least 150 people will find employment.
Manuli Hydraulics Manufacturing forms part of the international corporation Manuli Rubber Industries. The business group has its plants in Italy, the Czech Republic, China and Brazil. The Radomsko-based plant will not be the company’s first investment project in Poland as Manuli has already been managing a plant in Mysłowice in the region of Silesia. The investor is going to spend PLN 100 million to construct the new plant in Radomsko where the company will manufacture machines and high pressure hydraulic systems for, among others, the petroleum and the marine industry. Investor will also create an R&D section and run logistic activities. Since the beginning of 2010, 10 companies have decided to invest in the Łódź Special Economic Zone. They have declared to spend over PLN 351 million and to create 775 workplaces. (ŁSEZ) New investment in the Mielec Special Economic Zone In accordance with the permission granted on May 31st, 2010, the company Biomaxima commenced the construction of a new manufacturing plant within the premises of the Lublin sub-zone of the Special Economic Zone EURO-PARK Mielec.
Biomaxima, a company active in the biomedical sector, ranks third on the Polish market in the field of diagnostic tests. It is one of the few companies that run an R&D department and a hi-tech department of production. The investment in the Lublin sub-zone will allow the company to expand its product offer with new products that are now imported.
The company intends to develop and launch production of quick diagnostic tests that will be innovative on the Polish market and will start production of immunoturbidimetric reagents and agglutination tests. The planned cost of the investment will amount to at least PLN 3.4 million. It will allow to increase the current level of production and to create 20 new job positions by the end of 2013. At present, 11 companies were granted the business activity permission to run production within the premises of the Lublin sub zone. They have declared that their total investment outlay during the following 5 years will amount to PLN 503 million and the number of new jobs should reach 732. (Source Biomaxima) MACROECONOMIC POLAND
Source: www.nbp.pl ANALYSES AND REPORTS Companies are doing better According to the latest economy cycle study prepared by the National Bank of Poland, the condition of companies improved in the 2nd quarter; however, many companies still delay starting new investments.
The most evident phenomenon observed in the 2nd quarter was the clear improvement in estimated current demand, resulting in a significant increase of the production capacity rate. Such improvement was observed in most of the branches and classes analysed. - claims Katarzyna Puchalska, the leader of business cycle research at the NBP’s Bureau of Economic Research. Nevertheless, the behaviour of companies is still characterised with high precaution. Investment projects are being put on hold in spite of large money reserves accumulated in the business sector - in the 1st quarter of 2010, money reserves of companies employing over 49 persons (according to F-01 data) increased by almost 17% as compared to the corresponding period of 2009. - the researcher told the reporter of NBP news.pl. The research demonstrated low investment activity despite the improvement in conditions for the business sector. Many companies put new projects on hold due to the uncertainty of anticipated economy cycle fluctuations. Investment activities are also limited by insufficient demand (69% of responses), including domestic (41%) and foreign (28%) demand. Authors of the publication believe that an increase in investment is possible among large enterprises and among exporters. The increasing investment activity should be bolstered by continued growth in production capacity utilisation level and keeping a high level of own capital to allow the investment to be financially self-sufficient., the authors stated. They could not see other barriers, bigger than the barrier of demand, for starting new investment projects. (NBP) Deloitte: a survey on Polish Special Economic Zones Deloitte’s report on Polish Special Economic Zones from the point of view of the entrepreneur, shows that the SEZ have proven to be a very effective instrument to encourage investment.
The period of crisis did not leave the investors’ activity in the zones unaffected. According to the research conducted by Deloitte, companies doing business in the zones feel troubled about fulfilling all conditions imposed by conditions settled in business activity permissions. At the same time, due to the economic slowdown many companies experience periods without profits which significantly decreases profitability of investing in the zones. Undoubtedly there is a chance for the SEZ to keep their position as a significant element of support for foreign investment in Poland; however, further government actions seem to be necessary in order to update business rules which apply in the SEZ to adjust them to the new market environment. (Deloitte) DID YOU KNOW...?
Chopin. The course. STS Frederic Chopin sailed out from the haven of Szcecin on June 12th. It is going to promote Poland in several European havens.
The project is organized by the Polish Tourist Organisation The campaign refers to the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin’s birthday. Frederic Chopin as an artist can be considered one of the ambassadors of the Polish culture in Europe and one of the most famous Chopin’s works and life, while deeply immersed in the Polish tradition, would run in the cultural centres of Europe and would find their first audience there. STS Frederic Chopin is going to visit havens in Scandinavia, in Germany, in Holland, in Belgium, in France and in Great Britain during its cruise. Several events have been planned to occur in each of the havens. The goal of the events is to promote Poland, including its tourist and historical assets as well as cultural and artistic performances. (STS FC) 
Editorial office: Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, 00-585 Warsaw, Bagatela Street 12 Economic Promotion Department, tel: (+48 22) 334 98 23, fax: (+48 22) 334 99 99, e-mail: redakcja@paiz.gov.pl | |||||||||||||
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