Congress 590 in Jasionka – discussions on the future of the economy. #IChoose590 means I choose Polish products!

President Janusz Cieślak

The Congress 590 was held on October 7-8, 2019. The event, that was organized for the fourth time, was attended by many representatives of the world of politics, business, culture, science and non-governmental organizations. The European Business Club Poland was represented by its President Janusz Cieślak.

Congress 590 is one of the most important economic events in Poland. As the organizers emphasize, the meeting is a unique forum for exchanging experiences, ideas and contacts. How to consolidate development trends driving the Polish economy? Can you follow your own path during the great struggles of economic power? How must the whole country change so that it can grow business? – these are just some of the questions that the participants of the 4th edition of the Congress were looking for answers. The event is patronized by the most important state institutions, including the President of the Republic of Poland and the Prime Minister.

Several thousand participants not only from Poland but also from abroad came to the Exhibition and Congress Center of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship in Jasionka near Rzeszów. The opening ceremony took place on Monday. The Congress was inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, who on the first day of the Congress delivered an inaugural speech and presented the Economic Awards of the President of the Republic of Poland to the best Polish companies.

Andrzej Duda, the President of the Republic of Poland

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also took part in Congress 590 and inaugurated the second day of the event. Entrepreneurs expect state support in the promotion of Polish industry and export. A strong economy is not low labor costs, but efficient institutions, stable public finances and effective economic policy, which we are consistently implementing – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

Traditionally, there were many very interesting guests from around the world in Jasionka. This year they were, among others prof. Bent Flyvbjerg – Better Megaproject Managementgen and Robert Enslin President, Global Customer Operations, Google Cloud – Digital transformation with Google Cloud, who delivered keynote speech.

In addition to participating in the inauguration of the Congress and listening to the keynote speech, the most important panels attended by President Janusz Cieślak were:

  • Fund has its nationality. How to support Polish companies abroad /
  • Development map 2.0. What will determine the growth of the Polish economy in the coming years?
  • Practical aspects of cooperation with China.
  • Polish foreign investments – how to help entrepreneurs in expansion.
  • Polish contribution to the success of global brands.
  • Polish banks – technology leaders.
  • The Business Constitution and its impact on the freedom of doing business.
  • Poland and the World: a new dimension in partnership and trade during global change.
  • Poland against the background of Europe – our contribution to the functioning of the European Union.
  • Modern fiscal policy and business expectations.
President Janusz Cieślak during the speach of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

Plenary session – I Choose 590 – took place for the second time. This is part of the Educational Campaign #IChoose590, which aims to persuade Polish consumers to consciously choose Polish products. Any shift of purchases by 1% from the group of goods and services purchased, produced abroad by a non-Polish company to the group of goods and services produced in the country by a Polish company would mean an additional PLN 6.6 billion remaining in Poland, according to a report prepared by Grant Thornton for campaign #IChoose590. “We simulated the impact of changing consumer habits on building domestic savings. It turns out that each shift of purchases by 1% from Group 4 [foreign company, production abroad] to Group 1 [Polish company, production in Poland] would mean an additional almost PLN 6.6 billion remaining in Poland, which would increase the investment potential of companies and public sector and increased the purchasing capacity of Polish consumers, ” states a report presented at Congress 590.

The two-day event provided a number of conclusions and practical solutions. Jasionka is becoming an important place of dialogue for many communities about the economic future of our country.