Polish regional policy and institutions

Abstract

The characteristic regional features and the territorial disparities of Poland, its struggle and its solutions to catch up with the average GDP of the European Union can be instructive for Hungary, and the Hungarian regional-policy experts, too. Polish regional policy is based on well-functioning and stable institutions working according to a well-defined philosophy of decentralisation.

Poland and Hungary had several connections and ties in the past centuries. Although the territorial problems were similar in the case of the two states, there is a significant difference in their regional policies. In the process of European integration a real administrative reform was carried out in Poland, and regional policy could become an independent sectoral policy. Instead of 49 smaller voivodships, 16 new (two-level) voivodships according to the NUTS system began functioning in 1999. The new administrative structure required some essential reforms in regional policy and the creation of new institutions responsible for regional policy. The whole reform movement followed the requirements of European integration. The institutions established in order to manage the sources coming from the Structural Funds began to function as integrated parts of the sectoral policies, but in a decentralised fashion. This is visible in the competencies of the regional governments not only in case of voivodship contracts which are based on the French example, but also in the decentralised operative programmes proper. Poland is the only East Central European country where the institutional background of regional policy is characterised by decentralisation. The regions can function as units of decision making, the voivodship contracts can harmonise the priorities of the two levels, i.e. state and regional levels.

Poland was also hit by the consequences of the economic crisis. Differences between the regions deepened, however there existed development-policy scenarios for the lagging Eastern Polish macroregion. The voivodships belonging to this macroregion are, and will continue to be after 2014, targets of regional policy with a special emphasis. This descriptive study focuses on the development of Polish regional policy and institutions, presenting remarkable and useful methods in shaping national regional policy in the future.