Poland catching-up regions : setting up regional financial instruments and their distribution mechanism (English)

This report has been prepared as part of the pilot project of the European Commission titled: Catching-up Regions Initiative, implemented in 2016-2017 in selected regions of two European Union states, i.e. Poland and Romania. In Poland, the pilot project... See More + This report has been prepared as part of the pilot project of the European Commission titled: Catching-up Regions Initiative, implemented in 2016-2017 in selected regions of two European Union states, i.e. Poland and Romania. In Poland, the pilot project included Swiętokrzyskie and Podkarpackie regions. The initiative objective is the identification of economic growth restrains in lagging regions of Europe and, on that basis, provision of advisory assistance consisting of individualized activities (specific for each region), contributing to the reduction of those restrains to improve conditions for investment and economic growth. The scope of advisory activities was determined with participation of the European Commission, regional and central government (in Poland: Marshal Offices of both regions and the Ministry of Economic Development) and the World Bank which also played the role of an entity implementing advisory services. One of the intervention areas, agreed for the action plan for Podkarpackie, were matters related to the development of regional mechanism of supporting micro, small and medium enterprises in accessing financing. The subject of advisory services performed by the World Bank experts specifically concerned management of funds allocated in the region under the Regional Operational Program for 2007-2013 (Podkarpackie ROP 2007-2013) to financial engineering instruments, subject to return following project implementation by financial intermediaries (approximately PLN 135 million). The objective was, therefore, to develop a strategy for this and to choose organizational form and to design operational model of re-engagement of funds, also considering the next programming perspective of EU aid (European Structural and Investment Funds) for 2014-2020, which also includes support of financial instruments. This report constitutes one of the outputs of the ‘catching-up regions Poland’ work. More outputs, including an overview report and reports for individual activities in both English and Polish can be accessed on the World Bank’s website.  See Less -

Document also available in : Polish