Money well spent

Between 2004 and 2006 Poland spent some EUR 800 million (zł.3.15 billion) in EU funding on battling unemployment and on job training. Over 525,000 people had their training co-financed, another 400,000 received grants and over 50 percent of all unemployed participants found new jobs. These were the findings presented at a recent human resources development seminar summarizing the activities of the European Social Fund (ESF) in Poland.

Lenia Samuel, deputy director general for employment at the European Commission, said Poland has made tremendous efforts to take advantage of the ESF funds since 2004. Poland is the fastest-growing economy with the highest unemployment rate and the lowest employment rate in the EU. "The forecast looks promising and the processes seem to be heading in the right direction and appear right in line with the Lisbon Strategy. But we still see a lot to be achieved," said Samuel.

"Funds aimed at farmers' retraining programs are scarcely taken advantage of. Marshals [of many voivodships] want the money to be spent on scholarships," admitted Grażyna Gęsicka, Minister for Regional Development. The National Fund for Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRON) has not even spent one percent of the EUR 106 (zł.420) million granted. Gęsicka said that the money will not disappear despite plans to dissolve PFRON, and the remaining zł.1.2 billion granted between 2004-2006 will eventually be spent.

The priority of the next programming period is to boost employment, improve job quality and productivity as well as promote social inclusion and greater cohesion. Between 2007 and 2013 Poland will be granted EUR 8.6 (zł.34) billion from the ESF.

However, there is some worry as to whether all of the funds will be used. "The European Commission has recently expressed its concern about the current proposal of the Polish government to spend fewer resources [devoted to all HR programs] from 17.6 to 15 percent," said Samuel.

Minister Gęsicka attempted to allay those fears, saying that when planning the next financial phase the Ministry considered the feasibility of the projects. "I am not sure we could execute three or four times more projects than we are doing at present without lowering their quality. In the next financing period almost the whole amount of grants will have to be spent on soft measures, such as counseling and training, which aren't particularly expensive," said Gęsicka.