Agreement will help National Bank of Poland adjust to EU standards

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) yesterday signed an agreement with the French national bank on helping it adjust to EU standards. In particular, the NBP will have access to French know-how in such fields as statistical analysis and banking supervision. President of the NBP, Leszek Balcerowicz, said the bank is well advanced on the way to meeting the standards for EU membership, and that the whole adjustment program will have been completed by the end of 2002. He added that the NBP's independence is a key factor in its adjustment process. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B1) P.J.