Investment levels one of the lowest in EU – EBI

Private sector investment in Poland is at one of the lowest levels among EU countries, said Vazil Hudák, deputy head of the European Investment Bank. According to EBI report, more Polish firms have investment plans in 2018 than a year ago. Nearly half (47 percent) of all investment outlays are earmarked for equipment and machinery replacement, while investment in intangible assets is at a lower level than in the rest of Europe. R&D investments increased from 5 percent to 8 percent over the past year. Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of Polish companies consider their investment outlays over the past three years as insufficient. The average for the entire EU was 15 percent. The main barriers to investing by Polish firms were shortage of qualified workforce (89 percent) and lack of confidence about the future (87 percent).