With a view to the planned enlargement, European Union's agricultural and structural policy has been reformed. In the year 2000, the number of priority objectives for the structural policy has been reduced (from 3 to 6), as well as the number of Union programmes (from 16 to 4).

Consequently, the reform has affected the level of EU budget expenditure. In the budget drawn up for the period 2000-2006, expenditure has been divided into two parts. Resources earmarked for the purposes of structural and agricultural policy in the present member states have been isolated. A separate tranche has been reserved for the assistance to the aspiring countries. Such an arrangement will be upheld even after those candidates have been admitted to the EU. The assistance to these countries in their pre-accession period will be given within the framework of three programmes: PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD.

It seems, however, that effective utilisation of funds granted to Poland by the EU may prove difficult due to many factors.