Great expectations, one year on
Entrepreneurs are generally pleased with the consequences of Poland's EU membership, according to a survey by the Polish Chamber of Commerce. Some 93 percent reported some degree of satisfaction. Moreover, after a year in the EU's common market, companies are even more optimistic about their future than before accession.
The number of those who said they were optimistic about the EU's effect on their business grew from 41 percent last year to 46 percent now, whereas the number of pessimists shrank from 26 to 16 percent. Thirty-eight percent believe EU membership will have no impact on the future of their companies.
Before entering the EU, Polish businesspeople were most afraid of getting into financial trouble - 38 percent of firms expected such problems. This year only every tenth entrepreneur mentioned financial difficulties, while a quarter complained of minor problems. Sixty-one percent said they hadn't faced any troubles at all. Other problems included technical issues connected to adjusting to EU regulations, staff and trade problems.
Half the entrepreneurs surveyed failed to notice better access to capital and IT, but almost 40 percent now say their expectations have been met. On top of that, nearly a quarter cited greater transparency in the domestic market as a consequence of the country's EU membership.
Greater competitiveness in the domestic market and increased bankruptcies were other major concerns. Fifty-six percent feel they are in danger from European companies coming to Poland, and 41 percent fear growing levels of bankruptcy.
A year was enough time for 57 percent of companies to adjust to new EU regulations, and a third are still in the process of adapting to new laws. One firm out of 10 has not done anything to adjust to the new requirements. Still, the numbers are again positive when compared to last year, when only 24 percent had fulfilled EU regulations and 50 percent hadn't bothered to take any action in order to operate in accordance with EU law.
According to the survey, what really raises business owners' hackles is not Poland's membership in the Union, but internal bureaucracy. A whopping 87 percent said that the obstacles they had overcome had nothing to do with EU membership, but were the result of red tape in the Polish legal system and administration.
The number of those who said they were optimistic about the EU's effect on their business grew from 41 percent last year to 46 percent now, whereas the number of pessimists shrank from 26 to 16 percent. Thirty-eight percent believe EU membership will have no impact on the future of their companies.
Before entering the EU, Polish businesspeople were most afraid of getting into financial trouble - 38 percent of firms expected such problems. This year only every tenth entrepreneur mentioned financial difficulties, while a quarter complained of minor problems. Sixty-one percent said they hadn't faced any troubles at all. Other problems included technical issues connected to adjusting to EU regulations, staff and trade problems.
Half the entrepreneurs surveyed failed to notice better access to capital and IT, but almost 40 percent now say their expectations have been met. On top of that, nearly a quarter cited greater transparency in the domestic market as a consequence of the country's EU membership.
Greater competitiveness in the domestic market and increased bankruptcies were other major concerns. Fifty-six percent feel they are in danger from European companies coming to Poland, and 41 percent fear growing levels of bankruptcy.
A year was enough time for 57 percent of companies to adjust to new EU regulations, and a third are still in the process of adapting to new laws. One firm out of 10 has not done anything to adjust to the new requirements. Still, the numbers are again positive when compared to last year, when only 24 percent had fulfilled EU regulations and 50 percent hadn't bothered to take any action in order to operate in accordance with EU law.
According to the survey, what really raises business owners' hackles is not Poland's membership in the Union, but internal bureaucracy. A whopping 87 percent said that the obstacles they had overcome had nothing to do with EU membership, but were the result of red tape in the Polish legal system and administration.
