Foreign investment funds ready to flow following Poland's EU membership

According to the European Association of Investment Funds (FEFSI), the Polish market is one of the most rapidly developing in Europe. "International institutions are interested in entering our market. We will soon meet with their representatives to explain the various regulations governing investment in our market," said Witold Pochmara, the director of the Securities and Stock Exchange Commission. After Poland joins the EU, it will be much easier for foreign financial institutions to sell their products on this market. Currently this can only be done if an institution has an investment fund active here. "With Poland's rate of growth, it is no wonder that foreign institutions are planning to move in," said Marek Łukaszewski, president of the Investment Funds Association. According to the latest data from FEFSI, assets of Polish investment funds increased by 16.5% in the second quarter of 2003 and topped over EUR 7 billion. Assets of all European funds monitored by the Association jumped by 7.1% over the period. (Parkiet, p. 1) M.M.