The European Union’s Cohesion Policy and the Economic Security of Poland

The article presents the Polish experience resulting from implementing European Union’s cohesion policy in 2004–2006 and some experiences as well as the effects of funds from the European budget in 2007–2013. The effects of structural funds implementation on the development of Polish regions was is also presented in a synthetic manner, including their effect in the socio-economic situation in Poland as a whole. Issues pertaining to the influence of European intervention into the elimination of disproportions between Poland and the richer EU states have are also touched upon. The last part of the work mentions the role of funds from the EU budget in cushioning the effects of the economic downturn