Foreign investment in Poland reaches record level of $10.6 billion in 2001

According National Agency for Foreign Investment (PAIZ) data, foreign investment in Poland reached record highs last year. Direct investment by foreign companies totaled $10.6 billion last year, partially the result of large privatizations such as that of Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TPSA). For the first time France holds the number one position, beating out the USA, the veteran champion. The French total was $7.9 billion, followed by the U.S.'s $7.3 billion, trailed by Germany with $5.9 billion in investments. Poland attracted a total of $49.4 billion, the highest amount in the Central European region. Last year foreign investors poured some $4.6 billion into the Czech Republic and about $1.9 billion in Hungary. However, those countries overtook Poland in terms of direct foreign investment calculated per capita. High-tech companies tend to choose Poland's neighbor's more often. According to Adam Zolnowski from PAIZ, changes in the Polish legal system and positive macro-economic trends are needed to maintain the flow of investment. (Puls Biznesu, p.12; Gazeta Wyborcza, p.22 ) A.D.