Pierre Ménat, Ambassador of France, talks to Krzysztof Pawlik.


■ In your opinion, what is the present state of Polish-French relations?
Relations between France and Poland are very tight. Our contacts intensified in the wake of the recent accession of Poland to the European Union. The new reality of the enlarged EU breathed a new spirit to the historic ties linking our two nations.

Initiatives aimed to bring France and Poland closer to each other are especially numerous in 2005. The summit in Arras on Feb. 28 provided the first opportunity for Presidents Jacques Chirac and Aleksander Kwaśniewski to meet this year. The presidents arrived for the meeting in the company of seven ministers. Meetings within the French-Polish-German Weimar Triangle, successful in many respects—from defense to financial questions—provided a new impulse to the development of trilateral relations.

■ What challenges are our countries facing within their bilateral relations and relations within the EU as a whole?
The EU has to jointly tackle problems regarding the Constitutional Treaty, the need to adopt an ambitious budget for the years 2007-13 and implement the Lisbon Strategy. The possible next rounds of enlargement will not be successful if policies are not deepened within the EU.

Regarding our bilateral relations, we should further develop political, economic and cultural ties and promote intensive dialogue between our societies in order to facilitate, at an appropriate moment, the implementation of the principle of the free movement of labor within the EU.

■ Did French investors’ interest in Poland increase after the country’s accession to the EU?
French investors took an interest in the Polish market long before Poland’s EU accession. They appreciated the market’s size and stability, and attractive economic conditions offered to them. It is obvious that Poland’s accession to the EU enhanced the feeling of trust, which is conducive to any investment.

Since 2000, France has been the largest foreign investor in Poland, ahead of the Netherlands, the United States and Germany. The value of total French investment in Poland is now estimated at some 15 billion euros. The list of 25 largest investors in Poland includes nine French enterprises. Their investments are concentrated in the telecommunications sector and large shopping chains. A total of 650 French enterprises operated in Poland in 2004. Given the fast growth of the Polish market and promising prospects for the Polish economy, one can expect that French investors will continue to bring their capital to Poland.

■ Are you satisfied with the present state of Polish-French economic and trade relations?
Poland is an important trade partner for France. Trade between the two countries rose 7 percent in 2004 alone. This increase was particularly pronounced in the agri-food sector with a 20-percent growth in French exports to the Polish market and an 80-percent rise in Polish exports to the French market. The lifting of customs barriers boosted trade between the two countries and we managed to avoid troubles which had been expected. The French market was not flooded with Polish foodstuffs.

■ What would you like to change in Polish-French relations during your stay in this country?
First, I would like to promote a positive image of France in Poland by presenting our position and taking part in public discussions as often as possible.

I also hope that we will witness the development of partnership in the area of decentralized cooperation. I would like to see more cooperation between our local communities. Communes, departments and counties, French regions and Polish provinces should become favored partners for each other and should be able to create and implement joint projects.

I also wish to make a contribution to the development of exchange of students. Every year, the French government grants scholarships to young Poles who want to study in France. The number of Polish students in France is estimated at 3,500, of which around 300 receive long-term scholarships of the French central government, local governments and associations.