Since becoming part of the European Union, Poland has undergone many changes, emerging as a stronger country as a result. From the advantages of the European economic area to the freedom of travel, Polish membership in the EU has greatly enhanced the country in numerous ways.
To get a better idea of how Poland’s membership in the European Union directly improves the country, as well as the lives of Polish people, we’ve summarized the biggest advantages of Poland’s status as a member state.
Poland’s place in the European Union
With the accession treaty signed in 2003, Poland joined the European Union officially on the 1st of May, 2004. Since then, it has continued to be part of the union, and EU Poland dynamics have had a huge impact on the country.
Alongside free travel and movement, Poland’s accession to the European Union has helped provide funding, opportunities and more. The country is also part of the EU’s assembly, giving Polish authorities and national ministers representation to support the Polish people within the EU European Parliament. They have a strong voice in the making of EU laws, and can influence EU decisions.
A growing economy
Today, Poland often ranks amongst the top 50 richest countries in the world, based on GDP. As of 2023, Poland had a GDP of 17,300 USD per capita, compared to just 7,8600 USD in 2003. Since joining the European Union, Poland’s domestic wealth has grown significantly.
Some estimates even say that Poland’s European integration has grown its economy by 40% more than had it not entered into the EU.
EU funding
The EU budget regularly reserves money to provide its members with substantial funds to support businesses in a variety of areas and needs. Poland is no exception to this, and the country’s economy is greatly bolstered by EH support.
Typically, this is for areas of development that support EU values, such as innovation, developing technology, greener processes and more.
Nonetheless, the availability of EU funds provides many benefits to Polish citizens. They can apply for funds to start or develop a new business, or to expand into a new area. This ability of funds from EU institutions has only helped to grow the Polish economy, and make it a recognized leader on the global market.
Access to a common market
One of the key advantages of the European Union is the common market. With the removal of trade tariffs, EU countries are able to trade freely with each other. For businesses, this means they can trade anywhere in the EU without additional costs, making international business and expansion a very lucrative and tangible prospect.
Poland has certainly enjoyed this benefit as an EU country. The country is home to many diverse businesses, many of which operate across multiple countries. Likewise, organizations from the rest of the European Union have also been free to expand into Poland, further improving the economy, providing job opportunities and increasing trade.
Freedom of movement
Travel within the EU is unrestricted for EU citizens, including Polish citizens. Individuals are free to move throughout the European Union, living and working where they choose. Naturally, this opens up a great deal of opportunities for Polish people in terms of not only work, but also general travel and wider accessibility.
Such freedom of movement gives people a greater range of options, as well as the ability to act without requiring visas or lengthy application processes.
Traveling within the Schengen area
Of the 27 EU countries, Poland is also one of the 25 (as Ireland and Cyprus have not entered) that have entered the Schengen agreement. Within this Schengen area, there are no border checks, further facilitating free travel not only for citizens of member states, but for anyone traveling through.
This has a number of benefits for Poland. First, it makes the country more accessible, greatly enhancing tourism and business from neighboring countries. Secondly, it enables Polish citizens to move freely, even without a passport, across these countries.
Education
The freedom of movement granted by European integration has also greatly improved higher education for both Poland and its citizens. For Poles, being able to access educational facilities across the EU provides a greater range of choices, further allowing individual freedoms and the pursuit of skills and career paths.
For Poland, this free movement also benefits the country’s interests. Many of its universities are part of international programs, making use of the EU’s free travel and common market. These universities benefit from EU funds, can draw from the best international students and further put Poland on the map as a country with exceptional higher education.
Human rights
The topic of human rights is one that the European parliament and other EU institutions are firm advocates of. Like all member states, the Polish government follows EU regulations, specifically those set out by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
This charter provides EU citizens protection from persecution or discrimination on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religious belief and more. The European Union requires all member countries, including Poland, to provide Eu citizens with access to fair treatment, as well as justice when this does not happen.
In more recent years, the European Committee has further expanded these rights with the inclusion of privacy and the protection of personal data. All in all, these decisions have had a profound impact on Polish law, as well as life in general, giving Poles protection both in Poland and the wider EU.
Culture
More than just economic relations, Polish membership in the EU has also enabled Polish culture to spread throughout the continent. Freedom of movement enables all EU citizens, including Poles, to meet and interact with other cultures. This level of European integration has helped bolster an awareness and appreciation for Polish culture, whilst also helping Polish citizens to feel included in the wider, European platform.
Quality of life
When you consider all of the above, it’s clear to see that the EU Poland relationship has provided key benefits in both directions. For Poland and its citizens, the improvement to the Polish economy is profound, helping Poland develop into a leading economy.
Polish citizens have access to freedom of travel and the ability to pursue education in other countries, picking from a wider range of universities and institutions. Today, Poles are regarded as very skilled workers, and their contribution to national and international business is hard to ignore.
This can be seen in many statistics. For example, the unemployment rate in Poland is very low compared to the EU member state average of 5.9%. In 2023, Poland’s unemployment rate was 2.7% compared to, for example, 7.3% in France.
Benefits for Polish citizens
If you’re a Polish citizen, many of these benefits can also apply to you. Thanks to Poland’s EU membership, the freedom of movement means that anyone who is recognized as a Polish citizen can travel, work and live in any EU country.
For many of the 20 million Polish diaspora, applying for Polish citizenship by descent can also grant these same benefits. For example, even if you live outside of the EU, your Polish ancestry may make you eligible for Polish citizenship and, thus, EU citizenship.
Whether you want to get in touch with your ancestral roots, officially recognize your Polish heritage or gain the benefits of Polish membership in the EU, our free quiz can help determine your initial eligibility.
Are you by any chance of Polish origin? Find out if you are eligible for EU citizenship by taking the test below: