Agriculture, infrastructure and structural funds, much work needed

Agriculture, infrastructure, and the use of structural funds - are areas tha t need so much improvement and preparation, that their current condition may result in Poland becoming a second-category EU member in the initial period, and may, in the worst case scenario, mean submitting payments to the EU budg et, being cut off from the market, and problems with farmers' subsidies. Acc ording to the EU, Poland will have problems adapting its agriculture to EU n orms. Work on the implementation of a food inspection system, IACS, has been termed by the EU as catastrophic. If IACS does not begin to function, the EU has threatened not to pay direct subsidies to farmers. Moreover, it is alrea dy known that the plan to increase the number of milking parlors that would comply with EU sanitary norms, is unrealistic. So far, no projects have been submitted concerning the way structural funds will be used. It is, therefor e, quite possible that this might make Poland a net payer in the first years of its EU membership. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1). A.C.