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- Poland presents first capital market development strategy for consultation
- Strategy drafted with support of EBRD and European Commission
- Goal is to unlock Poland’s potential as an economic powerhouse
The Polish government is taking steps to unlock Poland’s economic potential with new proposals aimed at further strengthening national capital markets.
The proposals are mapped out in the government’s first capital market development strategy which was published today and which will be open for public consultation until 21 March.
The paper, drafted with the support of the EBRD and the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP), is part of wider plans to encourage Poland’s economic development and turn the country into a regional economic leader.
The draft sets out two primary goals for the Polish capital market: (a) break down the barriers preventing accessible finance and (b) further develop infrastructure that will allow for more agile market development and innovation.
The Polish capital market is recognised as a regional centre for the private equity industry in central and eastern Europe and a leader in terms of market capitalisation, trading volumes and numbers of listed companies and participants.
The strategy follows the authorities’ commitment to further develop the local capital market and highlights the enormous potential that a market opening could have on the country’s economy.
Diversifying the types of financing available to companies will lower the cost of capital and therefore the entry barriers to the market. It will make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises in the country that often have trouble accessing traditional financing due to their size.
The strategy also provides Poland with the opportunity to position itself as a hub for SME financing, as the more accessible capital market will be well-suited to finance new and innovative business ideas from young start-ups.
The government of Poland and the EBRD have both identified the development of a sustainable financial sector and capital markets as priorities. With the assistance of the European Commission’s SRSP, which implements reforms for access to finance amongst others, the new strategy will help facilitate growth in Poland’s business environment.
The EBRD started working in Poland in 1991 and to date has invested nearly €9.5 billion in 410 projects. The EBRD has been working all sectors of the Polish economy with a special focus on the development of the local capital market, with €900 million invested across 26 projects.
