1.5 Where does Poland stand now?

In the last phase of Poland s EU accession negotiations German “Polish relations are being put to the test, bearing in mind the difference between the two countries positions vis-  -vis such controversial issues as direct payments to farmers, the amount of structural and cohesion funds available to new EU members and their net contributions to the EU budget. There are also unsettled issues of importance such as the mutual return of cultural artefacts displaced during the war. Should this be satisfactorily settled before Poland s accession to the EU, it would be an important symbol of the new German “Polish togetherness.

Although Poland and Germany are still separated by their substantially different developmental and income levels and this is unlikely to change in the years to come, since the renewal of relations in 1989 their rich experience of resolving their differences through dialogue can only enhance future bilateral contact. The continued strengthening of German “Polish relations will help both countries to cope with unexpected challenges in the always unpredictable future.

References

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