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The Common Agricultural Policy is essential. It is key for profitability and determines how much Polish farmers and agri-food companies earn,” argues Henryk Wroniewski, President of the Management Board, Krajowa Spółka Cukrowa. Work is currently under way to formulate the Common Agricultural Policy beyond 2020. For Poland, the priority is to ensure equal direct subsidies. This is the only way to make sure that Polish farmers can stay competitive on the European market. In some cases, the current subsidies are three times lower than in Western Europe. This is significant as over the last decade direct subsidies made up almost half of what farmers earned.

Since 2018, Poland has a new Act on the promotion of employment and labour market institutions. It is expected to facilitate the employment of foreigners from outside the EU and EEA, as well as to help control people arriving to Poland. Employers propose the introduction of the Immigration Act to recruit workforce not only from Ukraine, but also from Arab countries. Without it, the demand for new personnel might be difficult to satisfy. Some companies have already had to give up contracts as they are not able to complete them because of labour shortages.

Polish doctors have been the first in Central and Eastern Europe, and the fourth worldwide, to successfully implant next-generation hearing aids. The aids work on the basis of bone conduction to provide patients with natural and clear hearing experience. This gives hope to patients with hearing disorders in whom other treatments have failed, ENT doctors say.

According to NBP's evaluations, the number of Ukrainians working in Poland has reached one million, and in the next two years this figure will grow by 200,000-300,000. Also, Georgians and Belarusians are increasingly often crossing our border to seek employment. Despite such a growth rate, it is still not enough to meet the demand for workers. Convincing foreigners to stay in Poland also remains a challenge.

In 2017 customers of the Spanish automotive brand registered 10,500 vehicles in Poland, which had been the best result for a dozen or so years. In the initial months of 2018, the sales dynamic has been at 45% which is a promising sign when it comes to the sales in subsequent quarters. Moreover, SEAT has announced an array of new products, including an electric cars market offensive scheduled for 2020. Its brand new product, i.e. a tourist electric race car, is to be presented during this year's Motor Show in Poznań.

Poles are among the most aggressive drivers in the world. Violating the right of way, horn overuse and dazzling other drivers with headlights are their major misdemeanours. Poles are often guided by emotions while driving, although their behaviour has improved significantly over the last decade.

Almost 80 percent of Polish agri-food products are exported to the European Union. Exports are negatively affected by the growing phenomenon of protectionism, which covers such measures as numerous sanitary inspections, negative media campaigns and additional certification requirements. More or less 30 percent of goods exported to countries which create barriers are discriminated against. As shown by the report developed within the Single Europe Varied Food programme, the European Commission is able to combat protectionism more effectively thanks to changes in procedures.

Besides development capital, start-ups, through cooperation with investors, usually receive support in the form of expert knowledge and know-how which are normally not accessible to them. Reaching up to several hundred percent, the return on investment (ROI) is in this case much higher than with traditional investments. Nearly every fifth start-up in Poland records a growth in excess of 50% a month.

The Silesian Aviation Cluster, as one of the first in Poland, has been awarded the Gold Label by the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis, the highest ESCA distinction for management quality. This has ranked it among the best cluster in Europe. Experts have also recognised the SAC for its innovative activities. Last week the President of the Cluster Krzysztof Krystowski received a special award during the “Business inspirers: Innovations” gala.

Poland is far behind in terms of teacher salaries not only in comparison to affluent European countries but also to our closest neighbours. The pay rises introduced in April will not change the situation. More than 99 percent of teachers will receive an average pay rise of 5.35 percent, i.e. from PLN 95 to 168 depending on their professional rank. In annual terms, the rise will amount to 3.75 percent, which, adjusting for inflation, is 1.45 percent. This is a much lower growth rate than that recorded for wages and salaries in the economy as a whole,” ZNP’s President Sławomir Broniarz emphasised.

Polish companies continue to rely on traditional paper binders and Excel sheets to store their data, a study by TomTom Telematics finds. Traditional analogue tools are used by 40% of businesses. Only one in eight companies use telemetric systems to reduce their costs, ensure more efficient vehicle use and improve drivers’ safety. Polish companies spend much less on these measures than their counterparts in France and Germany. This problem is particularly pressing in the transport sector, where returns on investments show the quickest.

With only 1,400 job offers in public relations, 2017 was one of the worst times for the industry in many years. You were the most likely to find a job in a PR agency, as they provided more than 60 percent of job offers. Usually these concerned assistant and consultant positions. Companies and institutions offered jobs to PR professionals with more experience. The most job offers were provided by marketing, financial and insurance sectors.

Poland has been the European leader in window exports for three years. DOVISTA Polska, which belongs to the same capital group as the roof window producer VELUX, has just finished an expansion project, which is going to boost its position as a producer and exporter. The company invested PLN 22 m in the new 11,000 sq. m distribution centre. This project will help the company increase its production by 10-15 percent this year and create 100 new jobs. The factory in Wędkowy is the largest facility manufacturing wooden windows in Poland and one of the biggest employers in Pomerania.

The Seaport in Gdańsk is to invest PLN 600 m in two major projects supported by EU funds. These are to attract new clients within the Baltic Sea region, which is Europe’s fastest growing sea area. Transshipment volume in Polish ports is growing i.a. because of favourable economic conditions.

There are too few potential employees with appropriate qualifications in Poland, which is why employers decide to hire foreigners, especially from Ukraine. 100 percent of companies asked cite this as the reason they are looking for foreign specialists. Only last year, foreigners were granted 6.5 times more work permits than in 2010. The vast majority of Poles do not see them as a threat to their own jobs.