This is the legal sanctioning of the foregoing work of both the Agency and the Polish Development Fund on changing the system which supports the expansion of Polish business.
There were no amendment proposals during the third reading of the act and it was outvoted; 301 representatives voted for the proposal, 131 were against it, 8 abstained from voting, and 20 did not vote. The primary aim of the act is to concentrate the promotion of Polish economy (including export-oriented and proinvestment activities) in one institution. The Agency is to support the following activities: promotion of Polish transport and industries, influx of direct foreign investments to Poland as well as Polish investments abroad.
According to the main assumptions of the act, PAIH will be the point of first contact and a complex source of knowledge for both investor and exporter. An average taxpayer incurred 110 million zlotys for the promotion of economy. These means were very often spent on uncoordinated activities which have not brought significant effects. The present system will concentrate all activities in the area of promotion of Polish economy in one place whereas the functioning of the Agency within PFR Group will also allow for coordination of activities with other development institutions under the authority of the Minister of Economic Development and Finance – says Tomasz Pisula, Chairman of the Board of PAIH.
Pursuant to the act, the government is to liquidate the Trade and Investment Promotion Sections of Polish Embassies and Consulates which are to be replaced by the chain of Foreign Trade Offices within three years. They will be launched in strategic points on a map of the world where Polish entrepreneurs expect it.
The new establishments support entrepreneurs mainly on the so called emergent markets where are the highest barriers of starting business activity, especially in Asia, Africa, or South America. At present, PAIH can support operationally the Polish entrepreneurs on 12 markets all over the world. The Agency will have 20 such offices abroad by the end of this year and this number will increase up to 69 by the end of 2019.
The main aim of the Foreign Trade Offices is complexity. We support entrepreneurs by informing them about the market and also by delivering different analyses, reports and handbooks. What is more, we support them in creating a network of contacts with local companies and institutions. Other activities include: organization of training courses for Polish and foreign companies, verification of business partners, organization of economic missions, B2B meetings, or participation in fairs – says Tomasz Pisula.
The draft act had already been submitted to the Polish Senate and it will be put to the vote.