Apart from measures of a legal, fiscal and institutional nature, NSRF objectives would be executed through programmes and projects co−financed by such structural instruments as:
• Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment (OP I&E) – ERDF and CF • Operational Programme Innovative Economy (OP IE) – ERDF
• Operational Programme Human Capital (OP HC) – ESF • 16 Regional Operational Programmes (ROP) – ERDF
• Operational Programme Development of Eastern Poland (OP DEP) – ERDF • Operational Programme Technical Assistance (OP TA) – ERDF
• Operational Programmes of European Territorial Cooperation (OP ETC) – ERDF
The above mentioned operational programmes would be managed on the national level, while ROPs shall be managed on the level of 16 regions. Diagram 2 presents instruments of NSRF execution. All programmes form the elementary operational level of NSRF. Hence they are going to contribute to execution of the strategic objective and specific horizontal objectives defined in this document, as well as guidelines adopted in CSG. Execution of specific objectives within NSRF requires adopting a coordi− nated approach in at least two or more operational programmes. Owing to their specific nature, each of the particular programmes would be contributing to implementation of specific objectives but it would be taking place at varying extent and different scope.
Implementation of Objective 1 Improving the functioning standard of public institutions and devel− opment of partnership mechanisms was reflected both in contents of operational programmes, and in the process of their development as well as in the planned implementation system. Including represent− ative partners to various programming stages, placing emphasis on transparency and social accept− ance make all operational programmes development elements of partnership mechanisms. The main burden of implementation of Objective 1 lies, on the other hand, on OP HC, within which planned is implementation of projects that enhance the potential of government administration as regards applying high quality legal regulations and effective management of public finance, support directed at improving the functioning effectiveness of local administration and that of regional level. A necessary element for achievement of Objective 1 of NSRF will be not only enhancing and development of the justice administration potential, in particular the justiciary and improvement of provided services, but also support for the potential of non−government organisations as regards the capability of implementing public tasks. Indirectly OP TA through assuring support of NSRF implementation system this programme is covered by implementation of Objective 1.
Implementation of Objective 2 Improving the human capital quality and enhancing social cohesion covers mainly measures anticipated in OP HC taking into account support areas of ESF. Additionally Objective 2 will be supplemented by investments in the development of highest class academic centres that educate specialists in modern technologies and enhancing the quality of education by making use of information and communication technologies within OP I&E, as well as OP IE On the regional level within ROP investments will be made in educational structure, projects related to health protection and informatic infrastructure to enhance accessibility to a wide information spectrum.
Objective 3 of NSRF Establishment and modernisation of technical and social infrastructure crucial for better competitiveness of Poland will be achieved on the basis of implementation of OP I&E, ROP and OP DEP. Within OP I&E support would be focused fist of all on the development and modernisation
the development of the energy industry based on renewable energy sources. The development of ele− mentary technical infrastructure will be accompanied by investments which are to assure an appropriate quality of the natural environment according to principles of sustainable development. In addition sup− port would be directed at improving educational possibilities on the level of university education, devel− opment of cultural institutions and assuring health protection services to the inhabitants. Means of OP IE would be used to implement undertakings aimed at strengthening the infrastructure of scientific and research centres to execution of high quality research for needs of the economy. Furthermore support will also be granted to centres of priority rank which from an appropriately prepared and equipped infra− structure for functioning of enterprises oriented at innovativeness and making use of new technologies. ROP will provide support for infrastructure that creates appropriate conditions for running enterprises oriented at the development of low innovativeness, contributing to the development of cooperation be− tween them and to establishment of regional potential. One of the main elements of competitiveness development will be extensive support for establishment of broadband access to the Internet.
Objective 4 of NSRF Improving the competitiveness and innovativeness of enterprises, including in particular the manufacturing sector with high added value and development of the services sector will be to a large extent implemented within OP IE, where means shall be allocated to strengthening growth locomotives, i.e. innovative enterprises through establishment of institution related conditions for their development, including development of an information society. In implementation of Objective 4 invest− ment components complementary to OP IE, related to granting support to regional innovativeness, elementary services, as well as tourism, will be executed within ROP and OP DEP, and in the event of tourism – also in OP I&E. Support for the development of human resources for innovative economy will be executed within OP HC, among others within enhancing adaptation capabilities of personnel, life− long learning, adaptation of employees to functioning in conditions of economic changes, supporting entrepreneurship attitudes.
All programmes are included in implementation of Objective 5 Increase of the competitiveness of Polish regions and preventing their social, economic and territorial marginalisation. Main emphasis in implementation of this objective has been placed on measures within 16 ROP. Increase in competitive− ness of Polish regions and counteracting their marginalisation in the years 2007−2013 would be made possible by projects inter alia from the transport sector connected with establishment and modernisation of the road, railway and air transport infrastructure, measures related to health protection (to improve the medical care standard), communication infrastructure (to improve spatial mobility and accessibility to specialist services provided only in major urban centres of the region), investments in water supply systems, disposal and treatment of sewage, modernisation of energy systems, assuring ecological and flood prevention safety systems. Apart from them support will be financed for small and medium enter− prises, especially with respect to innovative operation, including R&D, leading to enhancing their poten− tial, support for promotion of products and services tourism development and culture infrastructure. Financial projects financed from ERDF will be supplemented by tasks related to ESF within OP HC, where over a half of all means within this fund will be directed at the regions.
Similarly as in Objective 5 – projects within particular operational programmes will be contributing in a direct or indirect way to implementation of Objective 6 Balancing growth opportunities and supporting structural changes on rural areas.
An estimated division of means assigned to disbursement within NSRF between various horizontal objectives has been presented in table 8.
Table 8. Estimated division of means assigned for disbursement within NSRF between particular horizontal objectives.
Strategic objectives of NSRF Weight
Objective 1 Improving the functioning standard of public institutions
and development of partnership mechanisms 4%
Objective 2 Improving the human capital quality and enhancing social cohesion 10%
Objective 3 Establishment and modernisation of technical and social infrastructure crucial
for better competitiveness of Poland 42%
Objective 4 Improving the competitiveness and innovativeness of enterprises,
including in particular the manufacturing sector with high added
value and development of the services sector 22%
Objective 5 Increase of the competitiveness of Polish regions and preventing their social,
economic and territorial marginalisation 22%
Objective 6 Balancing growth opportunities and supporting structural changes on rural areas
Total 100%
Operational programmes have been prepared in such a way that they should mutually supplement the measures to be undertaken. The complementariness is to prevent doubling of undertakings. The application of complementariness is manifested on two levels, i.e.: operational programmes of the national level and regional operational programmes and complementariness on the level of operational programmes. Consequently the main areas of intervention within OP I&E would be complementary first of all to implemented transport, environmental, energy, culture and health investments implemented local− ly and regionally within ROP, as well as transport investments and those related to the social infrastructure within OP DEP. Simultaneously with undertakings executed within OP IE with respect to supporting entre− preneurship and e−administration planned is also execution of projects co−financed within OP HC. Further− more, measures directed on developed of information society within OP IE, would be supplemented by measures in this scope undertaken within OP I&E, while as regards supporting entrepreneurship of a regional rank – in ROP. Measures concerning human capital on the national level within OP HC would be complementary with measures aimed at adaptation to the situation on the regional labour market within the regional component of OP HC. As for measures of technical assistance in all programmes they would be consistent with OP TA and would be its supplementation and particularisation.
Pursuant to provisions contained in art. 37 of Council Regulation No. 1083/2006, operational pro− grammes will be also provided with an indicative list of major projects, which will be subject to evaluation by the European Commission. An additional document used for implementation of operational pro− grammes will be an indicative list of individual key projects, which is to facilitate achievement of assumed development objectives and which would allow determination and coordination of the most important investments executed using structural funds and the Cohesion Fund. Including projects on the list would be a certain type of a project pipeline, which is to facilitate implementation of the operational programme. However, implementation of those projects would depend on fulfilling criteria approved by the Monitoring Committee and on approval of the project to be co−financed by the Managing Authority. Those strategic, formal and Meritoric criteria (including preparation of necessary documentation and readiness of deployment) should be identical for all potential beneficiaries of all projects concerning a specific category of operations in an operational programme.
The system of operational programmes for the years 2007−2013, as well as the way of their imple− mentation results from experience gained during the programming period of 2004−2006, as well as from
Limiting the number of centrally managed programmes and centralisation of the management of those programmes would allow the elimination of problems that appear during the programming period of 2004−2006. Reduced number of programmes would in turn limit problems connected with doubling of measures and would enhance complementariness of granted aid. To eliminate possibilities of overlapping interventions in particular operational programmes co−financed from structural funds and form the Cohesion Fund, an operational document was prepared called “Demarcation line between Regional Operational Programmes and Operational Programmes on the central level”. This document has also defined demarcation lines that set out the division of interventions between operational programmes of the cohesion policy and operational programmes of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fishery Policy.
The centralised management system, which limits substantially the number of institutions directly responsible for programme execution, would allow increasing the management process effectiveness. Centralisation of the management system is to allow a more effective coordination of the management and control system preparation process for conformity evaluation. Such a management system would facilitate the development of harmonised descriptions for management and control systems for data of operational programmes, as well as creation of a single document system (manuals with processes, instructions and application templates).
Development of a major OP I&E, which covers a lot of mutually interdependent sectors, such as for example transport, environment, power industry, would facilitate withdrawal from application of a sector oriented approach in favour of horizontal strategic approach, which allows better advantages for the Polish economy and the economy of the entire EU (especially in the context of technical infrastructure). Clearly defined strategic objectives could be executed in more effective and complementary way on the basis of sectoral investments coordinated by a single managing authorities. The horizontal approach will limit problems connected with allocation of funding within particular sectors by setting out a clear hierar− chy of growth priorities. Furthermore, supervision over execution of infrastructural investments in many sectors by a single managing authority creates an opportunity of better adherence to horizontal Commu− nity provisions, especially in the context of environmental impact assessment.
An element of the operational programmes execution system of particular significance is assuring appropriate administrative abilities. Development of a single major operational programme would enable applying for new tasks the administrative abilities and experience of staff in an institution operating in the programming period of 2004−2006. As for the sectors related to the environment and transport, such a measure makes possible the utilisation of the existing structures with simultaneous assignment of a bigger number of duties and a broader scope of responsibility. Limiting the number of managing authorities in favour of increasing the number of intermediate bodies in connection with the establish− ment of a major operational programme would facilitate fulfilling requirements connected with achievement of adequate management and control standards.
Taking into consideration the scale of needs, both with respect to transport infrastructure, environment and others, the execution of which is planned in OP I&E, for effective execution of tasks within this programme allocated were 41.9% of entire structural funds within NSRF. Further− more, expenditure indicators for implementation of the Lisbon Strategy objectives will be achieved successively through concentration of funds coming from the Community contribution pursuant to the below provisions: for measures aimed at achieving cohesion of the national transport system with the European system, which is indispensable for economic growth, first of all through develop− ment of transport structure with a transnational range, according to principles of sustainable devel− opment. Within the programme support would be granted to investments of key importance for preserving and improving the environment state. Environment issues connected with sustainable development would also gain particular importance thanks to two−directional arrangement of invest− ments in the energy industry: on the one hand necessary investments aimed at diversification
of traditional energy sources, which cannot be implemented with the use of market mechanisms, and on the other hand investments in renewable energy sources, reducing energy intensity and in other ways environment friendly. Investments for selected areas of key supraregional importance related to social infrastructure (health protection, culture, higher education) would be complementary in relation to those areas.
For the past few decades years Poland has been consistently implementing the process of eco− nomic transformations in a direction assuring hastening a lasting and sustainable development. Rapid economic growth was possible to a large extent thanks to utilisation of comparative dominance in the form of cheap and quite well educated manpower, as well as entrepreneurship attitudes which were available in the first period of transformations. This simple development source has nevertheless been already fully used, and so it is necessary to create new dominance sources based on innovations. For this purpose adopted was the concept of implementation of a single major programme on a national level − OP IE. The conclusion was made that within a single OP IE there is justification both for increas− ing the investment level in enterprises, creation of institutional conditions – facilitation of cooperation between enterprises and the research and scientific sphere, as well as direct support of scientific and technical centres in implementation of research in areas considered as a Polish specialty in the European and global dimension and increasing accessibility of capital for implementation by companies invest− ments with the biggest development potential.
It was also presumed that within OP IE the highest performance indicators would be achieved of the Lisbon Strategy objectives. 12.4% of all structural funds have been allocated for OP IE. As for the Lisbon Strategy, the OP IE programme would be focused on strengthening abilities of generating inno− vations through raising investments in the R&D sphere directed at market needs, development of coop− eration between R&D and enterprises, as well as dynamisation of the entrepreneurship potential through introduction of complex tools for counselling and financial support for new enterprises and in the first stage of development and expansion and corporation cooperation.
For a major OP HC its establishment depends among others on introduction of the mono−funding principle, in the programming period of 2007−2013. Combining of all spheres supported by ESF and concentrating all funds within one programme – which comprises two components: a central and a regional one – results from the necessity of assuring a coherent system of ESF implementation in Poland. Establishing of one managing authority would in a considerable way facilitate monitoring delivery of programme, allowing at the same time an immediate response in the event of potential problems connected with its introduction.
The adopted concept would lead to withdrawal from sectoral type of thinking in favour of achieve− ment of programmed objectives and results. Appointment of a single management institution for all resources within ESF would enable improving the synergy of results of support granted to similar spheres (labour market, staff adaptativeness, improvement of quality and access to education) and complemen− tariness of undertaken measures. Support for the education sector implemented within OP HC thanks to coordination with the remaining spheres would allow achieving better results and quicker reaction in the context of adaptation of quality and directions to changing demand on the labour market.
The scale of social problems, indicated in the diagnosis, and the justified need of implementation of the two components within a single major programme has indicated the necessity of designating 14.6% structural funds for delivery of undertakings co−financed from ESF. At the same time it should be borne in mind that a significant part of funds within the programme would be concentrated on achievement of indicators of expenditures made on implementation of the Lisbon Strategy objectives. OP HC would be contributing first of all to supporting enterprises and their employees with respect to adaptation abilities to consequences of social and economic transformations connected with globalisation and restructuring processes which would depend inter alia on accessibility of the lifelong learning system and participating
Establishment of OP DEP results from granting for the years of 2007−2013, within the convergence objective of additional resources within ERDF for five poorest regions, which have the lowest GDP per capita in the expanded EU−25. Those regions include five voivodships of Eastern Poland: lubelskie, podkarpackie, podlaskie, świętokrzyskie i warmińsko−mazurskie. The areas have a low living standard of the inhabitants, low dynamics of economic growth, insufficiently developed and incorrectly directed communication infrastructure and insufficiency of growth factors. Effective counteracting those threats