Infrastructure? The EU will help

Local authorities will be the major beneficiaries of community aid. Out of a total of EUR 12.8 bln, which is the budget for Poland for the years 2004-2006, nearly EUR 3 bln (under the Integrated Regional Development Operational Programme; IRDOP) will be allocated for regional projects to be implemented by local government. Entrepreneurs can benefit from EU funds in two ways: (1) by establishing co-operation with a local authority under a public-private partnership model or (2) by investing independently, in which case the infrastructure is part of a project involving the modernisation of an entrepreneur's manufacturing facility. Either with local government... The public-private partnership formula is much more attractive in terms of the funds available. The upper threshold of subsidies granted to local government projects will be 75 per cent of the eligible costs1 and may be as high as 80 per cent for projects of vital importance to a