The EEC is one of the largest business events in Central Europe. This year’s, already 14th edition of meetings, is held on 25 – 27 April in the International Congress Centre in Katowice.

The Congress was inaugurated by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The opening gala was also attended by the representatives of the management of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

On 25 April, Minister Waldemar Buda along with Deputy Ministers Olga Semeniuk, Grzegorz Piechowiak, Piotr Uściński and Michał Wiśniewski, participated in a series of meetings and panels at the EEC dedicated to the Polish entrepreneurship, expansion of SMEs onto the other markets, construction industry and the use of AI.

Minister Waldemar Buda attended the debate entitled “Polish entrepreneurship on the cusp”.

Changes to the tax regulations that will enter into force on 1 July are designed to make clear and simplify the tax system for the entrepreneurs and decrease their tax burden

– emphasized the Minister of Economic Development and Technology during the discussion.

The Minister informed that on 25 April the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology submitted the draft new industrial property law for public consultation. The amendments aim at establishing the provisions heading towards the knowledge-based economy and innovative technologies.

Technologically advanced digitisation is the innovative solution which increases the industry productivity to the greatest extent

– stressed Minister Buda.

One of the subjects brought up during the today’s EEC panels was the “Foreign expansion of the SMEs” attended by Deputy Minister Olga Semeniuk.

We want the potential of SMEs to be used in the export policy. We strive to combine the smaller enterprises into conglomerates focused on manufacturing of the key products

– said Olga Semeniuk, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology.

The Deputy Minister reminded that Poland runs a plenty of support programmes addressing the SMEs.

A wide range of support for the enterprises is offered among others by the BGK, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Polish Development Fund and the Polish Investment and Trade Agency. There is also a noteworthy “Poland. Business Harbour” programme focusing on the eastern countries. It streamlines relocation of the organisations at the territory of Poland

– said Deputy Minister Olga Semeniuk.

During the European Economic Congress held in Katowice, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology Grzegorz Piechowiak attended the expert panel “Silesian Deal for Ukraine”.

The Silesian Region and the Katowice Special Economic Zone may support the business relocation of the Ukrainian companies in Poland. Poland, including also our companies, could become a hub for the Central Europe as a whole, and contribute to recovery of the Ukrainian economy after the war

– said Deputy Minister Piechowiak.

Minister Waldemar Buda and Deputy Minister Grzegorz Piechowiak took part in the inauguration of the Special Economic Zone Forum, held as an accompanying event to the EEC in Katowice. 

Both the Special Economic Zones and the companies operating within them have their short- and long-term plans that they intend to implement. Our task is to support them

– stressed Minister Waldemar Buda.

One of the ideas – we have been currently working on – is to attract another investors to Poland, to encourage them to invest in the Polish Investment Zone. To this end, we want to support the projects involving also the green energy

– said Deputy Minister Grzegorz Piechowiak.

Deputy Minister Piotr Uściński attended the “Green construction industry” debate. He emphasized that the development of the advanced construction technologies became a challenged faced by the universities and research institutes. This is also a challenge for the governmental administration, in particular in terms of establishing the relevant legal framework enabling development of the Polish construction industry.

The green construction industry should start from spatial planning. This is why I am more than happy that we submitted the draft act on spatial planning for consultation on this very day

– said Deputy Ministry Uściński. 

He pointed out that the most popular solution is currently photovoltaics, though it is worth to invest in the energy and building management systems to minimise the energy consumption.

Deputy Minister Michał Wiśniewski took part in the panel on “Artificial Intelligence” within the digitisation, technologies and science cycle. The Deputy Minister believes that education is the key: there is no innovation without education – he emphasized during the discussion.

Education is a key when deploying the artificial intelligence. This socially responsible process has been intensively developing in Poland and globally by means of the new technologies.  AI gives a competitive advantage. Education is a way towards development of competences of the future

– stated Deputy Minister Michał Wiśniewski.