EU Funds. The Challenge for Innovation and Regional Disparity in Poland

Abstract

The article concentrates on the role of European Union funds for innovation and balancing regional disparity in Poland. The challenge of regional innovativeness as a specific social process becomes more important to the regional policy and a structural Poland. The means of pro-innovative regional policy is particularly important in the light of globalization challenges and official policies made ​​by the European Union and Member States. Analyses presented in the paper are based on the programming documents at EU level, the country and the region, as well as analyses, reports and statistical data on EU funds and their impact on innovation and socio-economic development. This paper analyses the regional disparities and tries to identify the causes and measures particularly in the socio-economic development and innovativeness. It also discusses the structural funds available in 2004–2006 and 2007–2013, which can be regarded as a remarkable opportunity to improve the competitive position relative to other European regions and experience for the financial possibilities of the structural funds in the new financial perspective 2014–2020.