The Katowice Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) attracted 58 investment projects in 2014. There were 29 more projects than in the year before. The zone authorities expect that from 7 to 10 new investment undertakings will be commenced in the first quarter of 2015.
All the 58 investments were established in the first half of 2014 before changes on rules of granting state aid in special economic zones in Poland in the years 2014–2020. A draft of the regulation on state aid granted for enterprises operating under a permit to conduct a business activity in special economic zones was adopted in the middle of November 2014. As a result of the changes a new aid map and a formula for calculating the maximum aid amount for a large investment project were introduced. The regulation is expected to take effect in the first weeks of 2015, what can accelerate the number of new projects.
In the last year, companies committed to create 2,6 thousand workplaces in the KSEZ and to keep 13 thousand of existing workplaces within the 58 projects. The total worth of the investment permits amounted to 2,5 billion in 2014.
According to the Polish Press Agency, the Katowice Special Economic Zone expects to attract from 12 to 15 new projects in 2015 worth approximately PLN 1-1,5 billion. About 1,3 thousand new places of work will be created.
At present, the area of the Katowice Special Economic Zone covers 2 348 ha, of which one thousand is still intended for investment undertakings.