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Poland - Strengthening of the institutional and administrative capacities

Short-term priorities:

  • improvements in customs, state aid monitoring, justice and home affairs (ministries and departments), financial control, veterinary and phytosanitary controls (particularly as regards infrastructures at external borders), the environment, taxation and regional policy.

Assessment (October 1999)

These priorities have been implemented only in part.

Poland has made little progress in strengthening its institutional and administrative capacities. In terms of regional policy, the new decentralised administrative body set up in January 1999 is an important step forward. However, more sustained attention needs to be devoted to improving the operation of customs, in particular by applying a uniform system for the processing of declarations. In all the other sectors, such as state aid, financial control, fisheries, the Ministries responsible for justice and home affairs, veterinary and phytosanitary controls, the environment and taxation, limited progress has been made in defining administrative and regulatory responsibilities and in setting up bodies to apply the rules.

Assessment (November 2000)

Legislation on external financial control is almost complete, but work on internal financial control must continue. Additional legislation is needed to achieve this.

Assessment (November 2001)

The rural development plan has been adopted, although the national development plan has not progressed. The framework legislation on external financial control is almost finished, but the legislation on internal control has yet to be finalised. Efforts are necessary with regard to application for the timetables of the programmes cofinanced by the European Union.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed. The section on the Partnership for accession in the 2002 report focuses on issues which require more work in order to prepare Poland for accession.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Medium-term priorities:

  • setting up a unit to fight fraud and a National Audit Office;
  • strengthening financial control capacities;
  • improving the functioning of the judicial system;
  • strengthening justice and home affairs institutions (with an adequate number of suitably trained staff);
  • strengthening parliamentary procedures for adopting laws;
  • improving the capacity to collect taxes;
  • strengthening the relevant food control administration.

Assessment (October 1999)

No progress has been made towards achieving these medium-term priorities.

Assessment (November 2000)

A fast-track procedure for adopting Community legislation has been developed. Progress has been made in strengthening institutions, but greater efforts are needed.

Assessment (November 2001)

Poland has developed a fast-track procedure for adopting Community legislation. Efforts have been made to strengthen capacities in the field of statistics and training on Community law. The legislation on internal financial control is in place. The anti-fraud unit must be strengthened further, as should the financial control of the public administration.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

REFERENCES

Council Decision 98/260/EC of 30.03.1998

Official Journal L 121, 23.04.1998

Commission Opinion COM(97) 2002 final

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(98) 701 final

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(1999) 509 final

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2000) 709 final

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2001)700 final - SEC(2001) 1752

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2002)700 final - SEC(2002) 1408

Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1207

Not published in the Official Journal

Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236, 23.09.2003]

Last updated: 19.11.2004

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