18.01.2018

 

An increasingly elderly society, a declining working-age population, a growing number of diseases, including civilisation diseases – in the face of these challenges, creating an efficient health care system seems to be nothing less than a necessity. This is a particularly difficult task taking into consideration the growing difficulty with access to qualified medical staff, including doctors and nurses, as well as a chronic deficiency of funds. When Poland reaches the 6% threshold of GDP spending on healthcare, in other European countries, the share of expenditure on health will already have reached a much higher level. It is, therefore, not enough to just catch up with EU leaders – Poland needs a sensible roadmap for health care. For this reason, considering the construction of an efficient health care system as one of the priorities of the state policy, the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, in consultation with affiliated companies from the medical sector, decided to establish the Public Health Forum.

“We believe that health care is one of those topics where consensus as to the general direction of change is vital,” says Marcin Nowacki, vice-president of the Union. “Our vision of the healthcare system assumes the coexistence of public and private entities, because in our view such a model will prove most effective. At the moment, one of the biggest threats from the regulator is attempting to curb access to the market for private entities. That is why this year we will focus on key regulations defining the areas of cooperation of medical entities, as well as on enhancing a transparent market by co-financing procedures”.

In addition to the issues mentioned above, the Forum’s priorities for this year include matters related to the development of telemedicine as a response to staff shortages, as well as building a concept of reinforcing the role of medical staff by granting new powers, among others, to nurses or pharmacists. The main goals of the Forum include, to name a few, cooperation in the scope of program and legislative works (both domestically and at the EU level), preparation of common legislative positions, conducting analytical projects, as well as a general promotion of sensible, pro-competition models in the field of state health policy. In order to build political coalitions around specific issues, as well as to distribute concepts and ideas created within the Forum, it will cooperate, inter alia, with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Investment and Development, the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, as well as members of the parliament and senators.

“I am very pleased that the Public Health Forum was established within the framework of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers,” says Agnieszka Szpara, CEO of Affidea Sp. z o. o. “I think that a substantive discussion is needed regarding both the role of private and public entities in the whole system, as well as specific solutions that aim to improve the quality of healthcare as such. After all, health has both a private and public dimension, everyone is responsible for it as a patient, but also as a society, we must set up public health priorities. I am convinced that cooperation within the Forum will bring to life many interesting ideas and concepts created by representatives of various organisations. After all, our goal is common – for patients in Poland to have access to the best possible medical services”.

26.01.2018

 

The times of guarantees of eternal peace and security in Europe are behind us. Today, every scenario of armed confrontation in our region must be considered probable. Poland must reckon with the possibility of armed conflict and prepare accordingly. The Warsaw Enterprise Institute and the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers in the published report “Poland’s security strategy” present possible scenarios of the course of events and offer recommendations for the state administration.

The report is an attempt to answer the questions concerning the fundamental challenges facing Polish defence. The authors offer a structured train of thought about our security and concrete solutions that can strengthen the national security system and provide our armies with adequate military capabilities. The report cannot replace the national defence strategy, an extended document based on classified data and detailed simulations, but Poland currently does not have a general strategy document, either publicly available or classified, which would set the boundary conditions for Poland’s security. Such a document ought to be developed and accepted by all political forces for which the survival and development of the Polish state are an important issue.

“State security is a vital issue for every Pole, that is why citizens not only have a full right, but also an obligation to discuss security strategies as well as co-shape them. The report by the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers and the Warsaw Enterprise Institute is the vox populi in the public debate that should take place but does not. We do not want in any way to replace the state institutions set up to develop a security strategy, but the survival of the state lies in our common interest, so the voice of the people should resound and be taken into account. Thus, our report is an invitation to a discussion,” says Andrzej Talaga, Director of strategy at WEI.

In spite of the faith in the good intentions of our allies and their will to fulfil their obligations under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, we must not base our defence almost exclusively on support from NATO. Because it is not absolutely sure. We must build the potential of self-defence. Only this will ensure Poland’s security. This means create the potential for deterrence and defence based on the efforts of the society as a whole.

The current number of military personnel, especially trained reserves, is insufficient to effectively defend the country. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the reserve and other additional forces so that, ultimately, it is possible to mobilise a million armed Poles and Poles for war. This is due to the fact that Poland cannot afford to build a deterrent system for a potential aggressor based on precision weapons. It is worth acquiring it, but practice shows that it is quickly used up. Deterrence should then be based on the mass resistance of the armed nation – a total defence. The task of total defence will be executed most effectively by mean of general defence, a citizens’ militia that will fight alongside regular operational forces and the Territorial Defence Forces. Their task will be to draw their opponent into a swamp of a long-lasting, destructive, irregular war.

Poland will also face big challenges in the area of financing. Current and planned expenditure on defence are unfortunately insufficient. Poland must spend 3.5 percent of its GDP over the next decade for military purposes in order to build capabilities for self-defence and increase the number of armed forces and reserves. The planned level of 2.5 percent GDP by 2030, with the simultaneous increase in the number of the military personnel, is too modest and may ultimately lead to a reduction in the budget for the purchase of weapons and equipment.

“Our publication coincides with the publication of the new US security strategy. There cannot be any comparison in neither the rank of the document, nor the goals set by the two states. However, many philosophical assumptions and the thinking about the national interest bear resemblance,” says Tomasz Wróblewski, President of the Warsaw Enterprise Institute.

The authors of the report propose basing the strategy on a few fundamental assumptions:

1. Poland’s achievement of self-defence ability, which is indispensable despite allied guarantees under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. This will make Poland competent and capable to self-defend and resist a potential aggressor for several months without external assistance.
2. Expansion of personnel reserves of the Polish Army and preparation of units of the Polish Army to accept them in terms of equipment, uniforms, and weapons so that the reserve could stand to fight as an equal part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.
3. An increase in defence spending to 3.5% GDP over the next five years.
4. Introduction of a voluntary civic defence tax, which will supplement the budget of the Ministry of Defence.
5. Inclusion of the entire society in the defence effort following the example of the Finnish “total defence”.
6. Expansion of Territorial (General) Defence, as units of a citizens’ militia who train to fight and become independent of the regular armed forces, albeit in coordination with them.
7. Introduction of the fundamental right of citizens to possess firearms, including long-barrelled guns, which must result from the constitution.
8. Development of a rudimentary state strategy in the field of defense, which will be non-partisan and consistently implemented. 
9. Expansion of military cooperation to non-NATO countries, especially Sweden and Finland.
10. Exclusion of defence issues from the current political struggle and building a cross-party consensus on the construction of defence potential, as well as on society’s defence preparation.

***************************************************

The “Poland’s Security Strategy” was prepared as part of the Polish Agenda, a project executed by the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers along with the Warsaw Enterprise Institute, whose aim is to develop a strategy for the development of Poland as well as systemic and legal solutions in the areas most important for Poland.

The full and unabridged report is available here for download (in Polish).

Warsaw, 8^th January 2018

 

POSITION OF THE UNION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND EMPLOYERS
ON THE EUROPEAN UNION

 

In public discourse, marginal voices have arisen concerning the so-called Polexit, the withdrawal of Poland from the European Union. We know that this is not the intention of the government, nor is there any political force of any significance that would promote such an action. Nevertheless – although presently it merely is a margin of margin – we feel compelled to comment on this matter.

Regardless of how unfairly we are being treated by the current leadership of the European Union, there is no other place for Poland than within European structures. Any and all actions aimed at Poland’s withdrawal from Europe are actions hostile towards Poland and are contrary to the Polish raison d’état.

It is determined not only by Poland’s geopolitical location, but also by its economy. What for the United Kingdom, if it ever comes to its divorce with the European Union, will only be a severe flu. It would, however, have fatal consequences for our economy which has become so closely interwoven with the European Union that an only a complete madman could attempt to ruin it.

In 2016, Polish exports amounted to PLN 803 billion 478 million, of which PLN 641 billion 310 million were exports to member countries of the European Union. A similarly high share of trade with EU countries took place in the case of imports: it totaled over PLN 786 billion, of which almost PLN 482 billion were imports from EU countries. By far the largest trading partner of Poland is Germany, where we export goods for over EUR 50 billion.

Poland is the 8^th largest exporter of goods within the EU market – from January until October 2017, we exported goods to EU countries worth EUR 134.5 billion. As far as imports within the European Union are concerned, Poland is also 8^th – in the given period, we bought goods and services from our EU trade partners worth over EUR 118 billion.

In the first quarter of 2017, the share of exports to EU countries in total Polish exports amounted to 79.5%, whereas in the case of imports, the share amounted to 60.8%.

Amongst the 10 largest sales markets for Polish exporters, only two are non-EU markets.

In the 2014-2020 financial perspective, we negotiated about EUR 106 billion, while premiums amount to approximately EUR 40 billion, which in turn gives net income of over EUR 60 billion.

We repeat with full certainty: all calls to withdraw from the EU are actions against the Polish raison d’état. The consequence thereof is the threat of entering the Russian sphere of influence and the inevitable economic collapse.

Be it out of ignorance or ill will, the “option” to withdraw politically from the EU and remain in the European Economic Area is also promoted. As part of the consequences of such a step, we would have to pay billions of euros for access to the common European market, comply with all EU regulations, while not being able to participate to any extent whatsoever in lawmaking and decision-making processes in the EU.

The European Union, especially under the current unelected leadership, is not quite the perfect creation. However, we are a full member of this community and we have the right to strive to change the current status quo. Nothing is eternal. We believe in the repentance of some of the countries and the return to the roots and ideas of the Founding Fathers of the EU – Europe of nations with the free movement of people, services, capital and goods. A Europe that will be able compete with the whole world and become a global leader thanks to freedom and common sense, from which others will draw an example and inspiration.

Poland should start being a more player on the EU political forum. One ought not to take offence or pout – one has to go out on the field and play full game. Instead of sulking and raging on Twitter, one needs to start playing real politics. The immediate appointment of an experienced diplomat as the ambassador in Brussels is the necessary first step. The government must also allocate adequate resources to lobbying for Polish interests in the EU. Brussels is not just another theater for national politics – it is the grand theater of European politics, where decisions are made that will affect our children’s and their children’s future.

This year, a number of important decisions in the EU regarding our economic and political interests will be made. Poland will not be isolated provided it now shows with the new leadership that it can cooperate with institutions and other countries in the EU. Hungary may be our ally in the media, but the Visegrád Group alliance does not seem stable nor of much importance. No matter whether we approve of it or not, real European politics take place in Berlin and Paris, and if we want to play our rightful role in Europe, we must ourselves start to pursue real politics towards as well as with them.

 

Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers

Photo mark notari/ Creative Commons licence / Flickr.com