Poland is doing well with launching 2007-13 EU funds but it first needs to overcome barriers which endanger absorption of the subsidy, Danuta Hübner, EU commissionaire for regional politics said. EU, headed by the Polish official, spends EUR 60bn every year for such projects, or nearly half of the whole budget. In the years 2007-13, Poland has EUR 67bn. Commissionaire Hübner believes that government should take care of big infrastructural projects.
“Such events need special care, they take the longest and there is not much time. In Poland, it still takes too long to prepare the investment. Environmental issues also make big problems. The government needs to do everything to simplify procedures”, Danuta Hübner said.
Infrastructural projects financed by EU have become hot issue recently because Elzbieta Bienkowska, the minister of regional development, cut the number of big projects which were promised subsidy by 20 percent. The reason was that they provided for bigger amount that Poland has at disposal.
“Verification of the list is an internal issue of the country. We always talk governments into preparing projects by 5-20 percent bigger than the funds available. It is almost impossible to implement all projects. Savings appear nearly always”, Danuta Hübner added.
She is worried with the level of absorption of EU funds for environmental projects in the years 2004-06.
“The process of getting funds for sewage plants and systems must be made
easier and quicker unless Poland wants to lose part of the money. We are the
worst country among all new EU members at this respect. And I cannot imagine
that a country with so big needs can afford not to use any funds”, Danuta Hübner
believed.