The latest official statistics on EU pre-accession financial aid

Data recently published by the Government Information Center (CIR) reveals that Poland will receive in total EUR 5.1 billion as part of EU pre-accession aid. Among others, Poland had received in total about EUR 3.5 billion from the PHARE fund and had spent EUR 2.2 billion over the period of 1990-2002. According to the CIR data, it turns out that 4,252 applications were registered for the SAPARD program for financial support of about zł. 1.4 billion. However, only 3,557 applications were positively evaluated and they are likely to receive zł. 1.1 billion. The Center also echoed earlier reports that it is helping draft documents to allowing the use of a 0% VAT rate on EU-backed projects. (www.onet.pl) M.M.