Funds available

In the financial perspective of 2007–2013, businesses may use a large part of the EUR 65bn of EU funds. As EU funding is available in specific areas of company operations, the funds are managed in line with the so-called Operational Programmes. The table below presents actions selected from specific operational programmes for 2007–2013.

Operational Programme	Objective / area	Funds available	Additional information / description of projects eligible for funding
HUMAN CAPITAL 2007–2013	Development of human capital in enterprises	Over EUR 504m	trainings and postgraduate studies, nationwide and cross-regional closed (general and specialist) training and counselling projects for entrepreneurs (or groups of entrepreneurs), developed upon individual business development strategies. Additionally: adaptation of training rooms for participants with disabilities, purchase or lease of equipment and e-learning platforms
	Strengthening of R&D staff competence	Over EUR 61m	projects aimed at developing the skills of R&D staff to manage scientific research and R&D work as well as to commercialise research results (courses, trainings), projects related to raising awareness among R&D staff and entrepreneurs on the importance of scientific research and development work for the economy, undertakings aimed at the promotion of scientific achievements in the education process.
	Development of staff and businesses in the region	Over EUR 1.27bn	support for professional skills development and counselling for businesses: closed trainings (general and specialist) and counselling related to trainings for managerial staff and employees, raising awareness among employees and managers of companies under modernisation on the possibility and need to implement projects aimed at supporting change through training and counselling, training and counselling for entrepreneurs who support the business reorientation process, support for employers undergoing adaptation and modernisation processes in the implementation of their outplacement programmes.
INNOVATIVE ECONOMY 2007–2013	Support for targeted projects	EUR 390m	co-financing of R&D targeted projects (technical, technological, organisational). The applications have to include both R&D work and the project for R&D results implementation.
	Support for R&D results implementation	EUR 390m	Implementation of R&D results from the previous action, including: preparation for implementation (development of procedures, technical documentation, testing) the implementation itself investments, counselling and trainings required for implementation.
	Stimulation of corporate R&D activity and support for industrial design	EUR 186m	Support for starting or developing R&D activity, including the transformation of a business into an R&D Centre which involves the purchase of counselling services (exclusively for SME) and the purchase of fixed and intangible assets related to R&D activity.
	New investments with a strong innovative potential	EUR 1.42bn	New investments [manufacturing, services], including the purchase of technological and organisational solutions available in Poland for not more than 3 years + counselling and training projects necessary for the investment execution.
	Support for investments of great significance for the economy	Over EUR 1bn	Support for investments in: the manufacturing sector (at least EUR 40m of eligible costs and a net employment increase of at least 400 people) and in the services sector (a net employment increase of at least 200 people (at least 20 people at R&D centres), for investments such as shared services centres, IT centres, R&D centres)
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2007 - 2013	Undertakings for achieving environmental compliance	Over EUR 250m	support for environmental management systems optimisation of resource and waste management support for businesses implementing best practices in environmental protection support for businesses in water and sewage management support for businesses in air protection support for businesses in recycling and neutralising waste products and dangerous waste Only large enterprises will be beneficiaries of the support.
	Environmentally-friendly energy infrastructure	Total EUR 820m, including over EUR 750m for businesses	improvement of energy and heat generation efficiency improvement of distribution networks efficiency energy generation from renewable resources biofuel production from renewable resources manufacturing of equipment for the production of energy and fuel from renewable resources construction of networks to receive energy from renewable resources
	Energy security	Over EUR 1.1bn	development of energy, natural gas and oil transmission systems as well as the construction and extension of natural gas storage facilities construction of natural gas distribution systems in non-gasified areas and modernisation of existing distribution networks
	Environmentally-friendly transportation – development of intermodal transport	EUR 217.8m	construction of open-access container terminals and logistic centres at railway routes and seaports implementation of modern management techniques at logistic terminals and centres

In addition, businesses that implement smaller projects may apply for co-financing from funds managed regionally in line with Regional Operational Programmes.

EU funds are available not only within the national operational programmes, but are also awarded at the Community level based on specific programmes. An example of such funding may be the 2007–2013 Framework Programme. One of the potential sources of funding for investments based on international cooperation with strong emphasis on R&D may be the subsidies provided for in the 7th Framework Programme which is one of the means of Lisbon Strategy implementation. At present, i.e. in 2007–2013, the programme will be implemented through five specific programmes – COOPERATION, IDEAS, PEOPLE, JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE and CAPACITIES. The latter programme is focussed among others on cross-border projects of entrepreneurs. Within the Framework Programme, entrepreneurs from all over the EU may apply for a total of EUR 32,413 million. The amount enables co-financing of projects implemented in such domains as health, agriculture, biotechnology, IT, communication, nanotechnologies, material engineering, power industry, environment, transport, space and security.