ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the impact of Poland’s membership of the European Union (EU) on the economic performance of its regions and the existing interregional disparities. It explores the profound positive impact of structural funds Poland received under the EU Cohesion Policy on the socioeconomic development of Poland and its regions. The chapter argues that without the financial resources granted under the Cohesion Policy, Poland and its regions would not have improved their economic situation efficiently enough to render the process of catching up with the rest of the EU feasible. It discusses the objectives of the Cohesion Policy, its instruments and areas of intervention in the years 2000–2020. The chapter also discusses the cohesion policy implemented in Poland since 2004 but mainly referring to the programming period 2007–2013. The effects of the financial assistance provided by the EU are diverse.
