For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 17, 2002

Fact Sheet: Poland - Economic / Commercial Dialogue

Presidents Bush and Kwasniewski have agreed to take steps to increase their economic and commercial relations. The two countries have developed extensive commercial ties since Poland's free market transformation began in the 1990s, including substantial U.S. investment in Poland. The United States and Poland seek to build on that success by addressing current market access and business development issues affecting trade and investment flows, with a view toward increasing economic prosperity in both countries.

The United States and Poland will establish an Economic/Commercial Dialogue ("The Dialogue") to focus on specific steps that the two governments can take to increase bilateral trade and investment activity. The Dialogue is intended to be a flexible, results-oriented mechanism. Specifically, it will address:

(1) the resolution of market access issues to enhance Poland's market economy; and

(2) the enhancement and expansion of bilateral commercial activity, including new U.S. business development initiatives for Poland.

On the U.S. side, the Dialogue will involve those U.S. Government agencies with economic, commercial, and financial programs or activities with Poland, including the Department of Commerce; the United States Trade Representative; the Departments of State, Treasury, Agriculture, and Labor; the Export-Import Bank of the United States; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and the Trade Development Agency. The Polish side will include participation from the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, Finance, and Health.

Within the Dialogue framework, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans will travel to Poland in the first half of 2003 to further strengthen bilateral commercial activity and to support U.S. commercial interests in the Polish market.

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