EU entry will open the door to tobacco producers

International tobacco concerns, preparing for the country's accession to the EU, hope a "Yes" result in the coming referendum will give them more opportunities to export Polish-produced cigarettes to EU markets. "Our production facility in Kraków has been enlarged in order to serve not only Poland. We produce the brands which are in high demand. We also have the know-how and experience needed in the business," said Jacek Olczak, head of Philip Morris Polska. Last year the company sold abroad 5,000 tonnes of the contracted 13,000 tonnes. In turn, Scandinavian Tobacco is readying itself to sell its cigarettes to the Baltic States and Reemtsma also said it would sell its products abroad. Another player on the Polish market, French-Spanish Altadis, already sells about 20% of its Polish production in its home countries. (Puls Biznesu, p. 11) J.K.