The publication which we are pleased to present attempts at a summary of results and direct effects of Measures 2.1, 2.3 and 2.2.1 of Sectoral Operational Programme Improvement of the Competitiveness of Enterprises.

SOP ICE, which ended in 2009 was the first comprehensive programme aiming at the improvement of economic competitiveness, which was implemented in Poland under European Union Structural Funds. Without any doubt, the activities that support the innovativeness of enterprises – both in terms of direct grant schemes targeted at companies, as well as indirect instruments, involving specialised institutions providing various services (including pro-innovative services) for business – played an important role in the programme. The conclusions concerning the effectiveness and the efficiency of the tools which were used and the knowledge of the mechanisms in terms of their functioning are very important in the context of implementing the Operational Programme Innovative Economy for the years 2007-2013 (OP IE) in Poland and planning, after 2013, the future supporting activities in this area.

We very much hope that the publication we are handing on will be an unique source of knowledge, especially in the field of supporting innovation of enterprieses in Poland. The in-depth analyses of the empirical data relating to the effects of the support granted and expert assessments, which you can find in this publication, seem particularly important. We also believe that reading this publication will be interesting for you and that it will inspire you to discuss the issue of shaping the future public programmes supporting the innovativeness of the economy.