Box A: What Drove the Polish Economic Success?

Poland's economy is one of the most striking examples of economic success in recent decades. In 1989, Poland began its economic transition – from a planned to a market economy, and from Eastern institutions to transatlantic ones. Today, GDP per capita is 320 per cent higher than in 1989 (figure A1) – such growth could be illustrated as transitioning from a second Iran to a second Japan. However, Poland’s economic success goes even further in two key ways. First, income levels in Poland are approaching and are likely to surpass those of traditionally wealthy Southern EU countries. Second, as the largest country in the region, Poland is also a symbol of success for the other 10 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that joined the European and transatlantic communities.