TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract. The aim of the article is to prepare a diagnosis and evaluation of changes in sectoral structure of employment in countries of European Union over time. Against this background there are shown changes in economy in Poland in the years 1997-2008. To illustrate an empirical verification of the theory of three sectors by A. Fisher, C. Clark and J. Fourastiè, oriented to the assessment of modernization process of EU-countries, there were used classical instruments of statistical analysis and, a little known in Poland measurement technique of sectoral changes over time – the shift-share technique. Key words: sectoral structure of employment, decomposition of growth, European Union, shift-share technique