According to the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ), Poland remains one of the most attractive countries for inward investment in Central and Eastern Europe. The strong economic climate, decreasing unemployment, availability of well-educated personnel and the cost of conducting business are still lower than in other western European countries, creating a favourable environment for business.
According to official statistics, in the first half of 2006, foreign investors created more than 5,600 workplaces in the manufacturing industry. In the service sector, still low salaries and the high quality of labour attract investors seeking locations for outsourcing centres.
Poland is currently ranked fifth among offshoring locations and it is estimated that by the end of 2010, about 550 thousand people will be employed within this sector. Foreign Direct Investment inflow in Poland, year by year (in million EUR).
After a slight drop in economic growth in 2005 to 3.2%, the subsequent months of 2006 brought a strong improvement (Q1 – 5.2%, Q2 – 5.5%, Q3 – 5.8%). It is estimated that in 2006 GDP growth exceeded 5.5%. Poland is a country with one of the lowest inflation rates among the EU countries. It is forecasted that inflation for 2006 finished at 1.4% compared to an inflation rate in the Euro zone which was more than 2.0% throughout 2006. Unemployment levels are still in double digits (14.9%), but this has improved over the last 2 years.
More:
, (546 KB).