CHANGES IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AFTER POLAND'S ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
CHANGES IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AFTER POLAND'S ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

Summary/Abstract: Income is crucial to meeting life's needs.Changes in its size and structure are fundamentaldeterminants of living standards in the countryside. Thearticle presents an analysis of the economic situation ofinhabitants of rural areas during the period of Poland'sintegration with the European Union (years 2002-2022or 2004-2022). The main indicators are the level,structure and relations of income. Households of basicsocio-economic groups and by place of residence (ruraland urban) were compared. The study showedconvergence of the standard of living of rural and urbaninhabitants and of farmers and other groups ofhouseholds. Convergence was primarily the result of ahigher dynamics of income growth of rural in-habitantsthan of urban inhabitants and farmers compared to othergroups of households. This was mainly the result ofsignificant financial support directed to rural areas andfarmers, among others, within the framework of thecommon agricultural policy. The 20th anniversary ofPoland's accession to the European Union is anopportunity to sum up and assess how Poland'smembership in the EU has affected the standard andquality of life of the Polish population, especially theinhabitants of rural areas.

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