The Use Of EU Structural Funds By Enterprises In The Lodz Region

The issue of how to stimulate economic growth and development remains an open question. The EU structural funds are meant to help solve the problem at the regional level within the framework of the cohesion policy. Only some of these funds are used to directly subsidize businesses that are the engines of growth in a market economy. This paper aims to evaluate whether structural funds have played a positive and significant role in the development of enterprises in a region which does not belong to the economic leaders in Poland. It is based on the results of a direct study, statistical data and evaluation reports, as well as on the economic literature. The direct study was conducted in 2011. It focused on micro-economic projects supported by EU funds in the Lodz region. Interviews were conducted with representatives of 80 enterprises, which had completed at least one such a project. We conclude that the subsidies from structural funds have positively stimulated the modernization of the companies, albeit on a limited scale.