Debate on Polish brand [experts panel]

The export ratio of Poland is increasing and Polish products are sold all over the world now. Anywhere they appear, they have to compete with other goods. That is why our country's promotion is critical. Obviously, a top-quality image helps the world’s greatest economies. How to promote the Polish brand abroad? Are changes in the promotion system needed? Do we properly use our image potential? These are only some questions that were raised during the debate organised by the Supreme Audit Office.

Currently the promotion activities for Poland are conducted by the following bodies: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, Polish Tourism Organisation, local government units, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, entrepreneurs’ organisations. And this is not the end of the list. In fact, every representative of the public finance sector is occupied with the promotion of Poland, provided it has enough funds. These are municipalities (cities), districts, province marshal offices as well as executive agencies and other ministries.

Each of those entities operates independently, doing what they specialise in. On the one hand, it enables covering a lot of areas with promotion. On the other hand, it disables the synergy effect. The experts point to the risk that such a dispersed system will not fulfil its  primary task which is to promote the Polish brand as the one clearly associated with selected, high-quality products. Should we coordinate promotion activities and focus on a few selected areas then? Or maybe a dispersed but a wide-range system will be better? Should promotion lie in the hands of a single specialised agency or rather should it be divided among  numerous entities? ”I do not know any other country where the country promotion would be dealt with by so many institutions. At the end of the day, the process is too chaotic” - said Adam Szejnfeld, Euro-Deputy and participant of the experts panel. The former Vice-Minister of Economy is a co-author of the draft act which is to help develop a closely coordinated promotion system of Poland, managed by a single specialised agency.

According to the present Vice-Minister of Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, this solution can be risky, though. ”Involving a lot of institutions in the promotion system is its strength, not its weakness. We should not give up its potential by setting up one institution that would decide what, where and how should be promoted.”

Sławomir Majman, Head of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency pointed out that the majority of promotion activities is now financed from the EU funds which may run out after 2020. What is going to happen to the country promotion system then? ”All over the world there are employers' organisations participating in the promotion costs. In Poland it is rather the employers who expect financial support from the state” - explains the Head of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency. By 2020, both sides will have to develop a solution in this area, if the domestic economy promotion is to be continued. Prof. Witold Orłowski believes that already now we should seek collaboration between the public and private sectors. ”The point is that both sides should benefit. And there are plenty of situations   where the country promotion makes it possible” - says  the PwC Chief Economic Advisor.

Wojciech Warski, PhD, representative of the Business Centre Club stated that entrepreneurs do not need brand promotion but specific support of their business abroad.  For instance, Polish entrepreneurs need legal assistance, in-depth screening of their business partners or help in business meetings organisation. The very commitment of state representatives makes such meetings much more prestigious and is the country promotion in itself” - stressed Warski.

NIK will carry out the audit in the fourth quarter 2015. NIK will use the task performance audit methodology which means that it will evaluate effectiveness of the promotion of Poland in relation to financial outlays earmarked for that purpose.