The Małopolskie Voivodeship is a leading region in terms of its economic potential and investment appeal. It has a well-developed transport network, an extensive public-support system and a modern education infrastructure. In terms of economic development, the Małopolskie Voivodeship is one of the most diverse regions in Poland. Despite the increasing importance of new, emerging industries, the region’s economy continues to rely heavily on traditional industries, including metallurgical and heavy chemical industries, mining, and also the metals, tobacco and food industries.
Locations and promising industries
According to the “Regional Investment Attractiveness 2013” report of the Centre for Regional and Local
Analyses, the most investment-attractive districts of the Małopolskie Voivodeship include the Wieliczka, Kraków, Nowy Sącz, Tarnów, Myślenice and Oświęcim districts. The region’s development is driven by the district cities of Kraków, Nowy Sącz and Tarnów, and also by the districts of Wieliczka, Myślenice and Oświęcim, as well as the Special Economic Zones. The Voivodeship has the capacity to form interregional clusters, especially in the sectors of apparel, chemicals and chemical products, motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles), rubber and plastic products, electrical appliances, trailer and semitrailer manufacturing, and also in fruit and vegetable processing and preserving, the manufacturing of footwear, telecommunications equipment, electric motors, generators, transformers, electricity-distribution and control apparatus, and general-purpose machinery. In addition, it has the capacity to develop smart specialisations based on its competitive large and medium-sized enterprises in the high-tech sectors.
The Małopolskie Voivodeship has a substantial potential in innovation. There are numerous institutions in the region that support innovation, such as the Centre for Technology Transfer of the Cracow University of Technology, the Innovation Centre, the Technology Transfer and Development Centre of the Jagiellonian University (CIITTRU UJ), the Jagiellonian Innovation Centre (JCI), and the Kraków Technology Park. This region boasts a substantial science and research potential among its academic institutions and scientific centres, including especially in such areas as biotechnology, IT, product quality and competitiveness, environmental development and protection, nanotechnology, new medical technologies and renewable energy. R&D expenditures in the Małopolskie Voivodeship are growing consistently.
Programmes
The region has a number of programmes in place to support regional and nationwide projects and investments. Investors can apply for funding under the 2011-2020 Programme for Supporting Investment of Strategic Importance for the Polish Economy. The funding is provided as a grant under individual bilateral agreements between the Ministry of the Economy and Investors. The agreement specifies the terms of the grant and stipulates that the grant is paid in proportion to the requirements fulfilled. Funding is provided to entrepreneurs willing to invest in the automotive, electronics, aviation, biotechnology, innovative services and R&D sectors. Entrepreneurs interested in other sectors may apply for funding as well, provided that their investment involves at least PLN 750 million in eligible costs and 200 new jobs, or at least PLN 500 million in eligible costs and 500 new jobs. Under the programme, support for projects and investments is primarily provided to cover the costs of new jobs (employment grants) in both the manufacturing and innovative service industries, and the eligible costs of the new investment (investment grants). The Ministry of the
Economy operates these systems and provides the public funding support. The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency S.A. (PAIiIZ) is responsible for compiling and presenting to the Inter-Ministerial Foreign Investment Team a dossier of investment projects, and also for producing all the procedure-relevant documents. The Team reviews each project on an individual basis for the fulfilment of the detailed criteria set out in the System. The grant award procedure may be extended if the investor is additionally applying for support
instruments other than a Government grant (such as tax exemptions in Special Economic Zones or EU Structural Fund support).
Established by the Małopolskie Voivodeship and the Municipality of Kraków in early 2014, the Kraków Nowa Huta Przyszłości company is one of Małopolskie Voivodeship’s own initiatives. Its core aim is to facilitate the
implementation of the project called Kraków Nowa Huta Przyszłości (Kraków Nowa Huta – Towards the Future). This new company will primarily deal with identifying investment areas, looking for strategic investors for the project, raising funds available in the Voivodeship, Poland and the EU, and also support the creation of economic zones and/or technological parks. The project comprises four strategic sub-projects, including the Strefa
Aktywności Gospodarczej (the Economic Activity Zone) distribution centre, the Branice Science and Technology Park, the Błonia 2.0 centre for large-scale cultural events, and Przylasek Rusiecki – an area designed for
recreation and leisure, with all the associated services. This project has the potential to add 30-40,000 jobs for the residents of Kraków as well as the neighbouring communes.
Business support institutions
The substantial presence of business support institutions can boost the investment appeal of a region. In the Małopolskie Voivodeship, such institutions are exceptionally abundant. Particularly important are those institutions that support and encourage entrepreneurship, investment-enabling solutions, commercialised research and innovative enterprises. Business support institutions (excluding science and research institutions), that drive the economic development of the region, include
Chambers of Commerce: the Kraków Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Tarnów Chamber of Industry
and Commerce, the Małopolska Voivodeship Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Kraków, the British-Polish Chamber of Commerce in Kraków, and the Kraków Chamber of Tourism.
Associations (including business centres): the Centre of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Development
of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków (coordinates and provides funding for invention patent procedures, implements research results, organises joint research and implementation projects and commissioned studies, compiles portfolios of technologies associated with the innovations of the Jagiellonian University), the
Technology Transfer Centre of the Cracow University of Technology (its responsibilities include identifying opportunities for catering for the industry’s needs by providing it with solutions developed by the University’s research staff), the Medical Technology Transfer Centre of the Kraków Technology Park (its responsibilities include helping companies to find external sources of funding innovative projects), the Małopolska
Entrepreneurship Centre in Kraków, the Tarnów Information Centre, The Technology Transfer Centre of the University of Science and Technology in Kraków, the Centre for New Computer Technologies, Metallurgy and Materials Science in Kraków, the Polish Foundry Technology Platform’s Industry-Specific Contact Point for EU Programmes in Kraków, the Kraków Congregation of Merchants and the Industrial Association of Kraków.
Entrepreneurship incubators: the Technology Incubator of the Kraków Technology Park, and the Kraków
Academic Entrepreneurship Incubators.
Technology, science and research and industry parks: the Kraków Technology Park, and the Małopolska
Advisory centres, guarantee funds: the Małopolska Agricultural Advisory Centre in Karniowice, and the
Małopolska Regional Guarantee Fund in Kraków.
Agencies and organisations: the Małopolska Regional Development Agency in Kraków (extends loans to start
businesses or develop micro, small-sized or medium-sized enterprises and also, being a Regional Financing Institution, acts as an intermediary in providing grants for innovation-supporting projects), the Western Małopolska Development Agency (ARMZ) in Chrzanów (its responsibilities include extending loans and credit guarantees, including loans within the ARMZ’s Loan Fund for microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises), the Municipal Development Agency in Kraków, the Kraków-Wschód (Eastern Kraków) Economic Development Agency, the Klucze Region Development Agency, the Tarnów Regional Development Agency, the Cooperatives Development and Promotion Agency – the Inspectional Association of the Workers’ Cooperative (Regional Office in Kraków), the Małopolska Energy and Environment Agency in Kraków, the Myślenice Economic Development Agency, the Nowy Sącz Regional Development Agency, the Nordic House in Kraków, the
Małopolskie Voivodeship Tourist Organisation in Kraków, and the Rabka Regional-Development Foundation. In addition to business support institutions, there are over a hundred R&D Centres in the Voivodeship, such as the Petroleum and Gas Institute, the Foundry Institute, the Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, and also a plethora of foreign R&D centres: ABB, Google, Cisco, the Teva, Comarch, Synthos, the Delphi Technology Centre, and Sabre’s European Software Development Centre.
Special economic zones
The Kraków Special Economic Zone (SEZ): comprises 19 sub-zones across the Małopolskie Voivodeship with
a total area of 528 hectares. These include Kraków Śródmieście, Kraków Podgórze, Kraków Nowa Huta, Krosno, Andrychów, Zabierzów, Niepołomice, Wolbrom, Słomniki, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Dobczyce, Oświęcim, Gdów, Zator, Gorlice, Książ Wielki, Limanowa, and Bochnia. The Kraków Special Economic Zone also covers the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.
The special economic zone is available to all traditional-industry companies, except for the manufacturers of state-licensed products (alcohol and tobacco products) and steel manufacturers. Licences to operate in the SEZ are also available to providers of certain services, including IT, R&D, life sciences, engineering sciences,
accounting and auditing of accounts, accountancy (except for tax returns), technical research and analysis, and call centre services. There are no licencing restrictions related to the size or country of origin of the companies to operate in SEZ. Small and medium-sized enterprises are eligible for increased public support.
So far, the Kraków Technology Park has issued 190 licences to operate in the SEZ. Operating here are both small and medium-sized enterprises such as Trefl, Radionika and Fideltronik, as well as large and renowned players, including Comarch, Brembo, Valeo, RR Donnelley, Motorola, Shell, MAN Trucks and Capita. Over 17,000 jobs have been created so far, with total expenditure being PLN 3.8 billion.
Public support for companies which invest in operations in the SZE includes income tax exemptions. To be eligible for such exemptions, the company must obtain a permit from the Kraków Technology Park company, which manages the Kraków Special Economic Zone. The extent of exemption varies from company to company, depending on the size. The highest exemptions of 55% are provided to small companies. Medium-sized and large companies can get 45% and 35% exemptions, respectively. Taxable-income exemptions are available to
companies engaged in new investment projects which comply with two requirements. The first requirement is to invest at least EUR 100,000 in the SEZ. The second requirement is to be conducting an economic activity which
is eligible for public support under a Resolution on the Kraków Special Economic Zone. The following projects are currently being implemented in the Kraków SEZ
“The Małopolska IT Park (MPTI) – the Innovation Centre of the Kraków Technology Park.” The
project’s core objective is to build the Małopolska Technology Park in Pychowice. MPTI, the largest and most important project of the Kraków Technology Park – will be IT-oriented. The project’s total cost is PLN
141,280,274.18, of which 113,444,966.29 will be an eligible cost. This venture is funded under the European Regional Development Fund of the Operational Programme Innovative Economy, Measure 5.3.
“SMART_KOM. Kraków in a smart cities network.” A joint project of the Kraków Technology Park, the
Małopolskie Voivodeship, the Kraków City Hall, the Forum Virium from Helsinki and the Vienna University of Technology.
“Innovation intermediaries as drivers of an advanced economic system in the Małopolska Region.”
The project has been carried out jointly by the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolskie Voivodeship, the Kraków Technology Park and the Cracow University of Economics. Its goal is to work out a new model of cooperation between science and business, the so-called innovation intermediary model.
“The Business in Małopolska Centre.” This project aims to promote the economic potential of the
Małopolskie Voivodeship and improve assistance for businesses opening up in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. In addition to the Kraków Technology Park, the project was implemented by the Małopolska Regional Development Agency and the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship. Launched in January 2010, the Business in Małopolska Centre (CeBiM) is a dedicated investor’s assistance office based in Czyżyny, in the business centre of the Kraków Technology Park. It has the largest portfolio of development land and property for investors, and also boasts a long roster of Polish export companies and foreign business partners.
“Business in Małopolska. Grow with us!” The project has been implemented by the Małopolska Regional
Development Agency, the Małopolskie Voivodeship and the Kraków Technology Park. Designed primarily for business community, especially in the USA, Asia, Europe and Middle East, this project aims to attract more foreign businesses to the Małopolska region. Its central focus is on participating in international trade shows and conferences related to new technologies and outsourcing.
Contact
Krakowski Park Technologiczny Sp. z o.o. ul. prof. Michała Życzkowskiego 14 31-864 Kraków
tel.: 12 640 19 40 fax: 12 640 19 45
e-mail: [email protected] http://www.sse.krakow.pl/
The Katowice Special Economic Zone. This SEZ has a sub-zone in Myślenice. Investment-cost-based tax
companies, and 10 and 20% more for medium-sized and small companies, accordingly. Tax exemption based on the jobs added is 35% for large companies for a two-year cost of new jobs added in the zone, and 10 and 20% more for medium-sized and small companies, accordingly.
Contact
Starostwo Powiatowe w Myślenicach (The District Governor’s Office in Myślenice) Mikołaja Reja 13 Myślenice Poland 32-400 tel.: 12 2749 740 fax: 12 2749 742 e-mail: [email protected] http://www.myslenicki.pl/pl/index.php
The Euro-Park Mielec Special Economic Zone. It has a sub-zone in Gorlice in the Małopolska region. Located
in the Glinik district by National Road 28 (Wadowice-Przemyśl) this 29.36-hectare area is intended for industrial buildings. 13 hectares are already occupied, and 16.3 hectares of improved land are available for development. Companies opening up here can receive public support of up to 50% of the total investment cost or 50% of the two-year cost of new employees. For small and medium-sized enterprises, this support is increased to 65%. Companies operating in the zone under a licence are eligible for regional support in the form of CIT exemption.
Contact
Urząd Miejski w Gorlicach (the Gorlice City Office) Rynek 2, 38-300 Gorlice
tel.: 18 35 36 200 fax: 18 35 51 212
e-mail: [email protected] http://www.gorlice.pl/index.htm
The Voivodeship also has Economic-Activity Zones. These include The Bochnia Economic Activity Zone
The Chrzanów–Trzebinia Industrial Park
The “Zielonych Dobczyc” Dobrzyce Industrial Zone The Limanowa Economic Activity Zone
The Myślenice – Jawornik Economic Activity Zone
The Niepołomice Investment Zone of the “Nowe Dwory” Economic Activity Zone in Oświęcim The Wieliczka Economic Activity Zone
The region has the following technology and industry parks:The Kraków Technology Park The Tarnów Science and Technology Park
The Chrzanów-Trzebinia Industrial Park
The “Kryształowy” Green Industrial Park in Tarnów The Green Industrial Park in Wojnicz
Grants for Economic Activity Zones (EAZ) are provided to local and regional authorities, incorporated organisational units of local and regional authorities, universities, business support institutions and
entrepreneurs. The total amount of EAZ development funding in the Małopolska region is EUR 64 million. Most of real property is owned by communes. The land is improved, ready for development and included in local spatial development plans.