Investor Assistance Centre of Wielkopolska Region

The Association of Wielkopolska Municipalities and Counties, one of the largest organizations associating local government units in the country, has been operating for over 30 years. It conducts multi-level activities for local government, local communities and regional development. The Association's activities are long-term and based on regional tradition of grassroots work.

 

In 2002, the Association started activities in the area of investor service and was able to ensure the functioning of the IAC regardless of the current political situation. It was not subject to organizational and procedural limitations typical of public sector entities, and could operate more flexibly than local government administration.

 

Moreover, the Association had good contacts with the Poznań scientific community (UAM, University of Economics, Western Institute) and economic organizations (Wielkopolska Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Polish Chamber of Commerce, Reliable Business Association), which allowed it to quickly obtain substantive support if necessary.

 

As a typical lobbying organization, the Association could increase its involvement in promoting the introduction of solutions and incentives beneficial to investors. The Association's advantage was also its network of personal contacts in the local government environment.

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The scope of the Association's pro-investment and pro-development activities before signing the agreement with the State Agency for Foreign Investment in 2002 included:

• organization of training and seminars devoted to regional development issues, as well as efficient management of local government units;

• maintaining and updating a database of municipal investment properties in the region;

• acquiring and sharing economic information from the region;

• participation in exhibition events;

• promotion of the economic and tourist attractiveness of the region;

• lobbying for increased local and regional information in the media;

• launching a European information point for local government officials;

• supporting - mainly through dissemination and promotion - numerous initiatives of economic circles.

 

The goal that IAC set itself at the time of its establishment was the desire to contribute to a more dynamic economic development of Wielkopolska Region. As a result, in June 2002, an agreement was signed between the then principals of both institutions: the President of PAIiIZ, Antoni Styrczula, and the Chairman of SGiPW, Bronisław Lachowicz. The scope of the contract included, among others:

• investmental advisory,

• joint training,

• maintaining the Infobase database,

• electronic management of investment projects,

• organization of investor visits.