Brussels, 01/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - Negotiators from the European Commission and the Polish government reached an agreement on Thursday in Warsaw on the broad guidelines according to which Poland cold benefit from Community regional aid under Structural and Cohesion funds, after its accession on 1 May 2004. Discussion on the details of the progammation will continue after the summer. With an envelope of EUE 12.5 bio for the 2004-06 period, Poland will be by far the main beneficiary for Structural funds (EUR 8.3 bio) and Cohesion funds (EUR 4.2 bio) among the new members.
The agreement will contain an overall envelope of EUR 3.27 bio (EUR 2.11 bio in Cohesion Funds) for transport infrastructure and EUR 2.11 bio for environmental protection (financed entirely by the Cohesion funds). EUR 1.25 bio in Structural Funds will go to industrial development projects, 2.7 bio to improving infrastructures in under developed regions, 1.19 bio for rural development, EUR 200 million for the fisheries sector and almost 1.5 bio for developing human resources (education and vocational training). Negotiations with Poland began on 27 June, meanwhile, identical discussions have begun with the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia.