The public administration reform, introduced on 1 January 1999, creates new challenges for regional policy and requires new instruments. The new challenges also result from the close perspective of Poland's ascension to the European Union. The Polish State must be well prepared to effectively use the sources of structural policy in order to activate its underdeveloped regions; restructure industrial regions in decline; and improve the competitiveness of the economy as a whole.
 
      The key problem of the emerging regional policy is the respect of the autonomy of the new voivodships in carrying out the development programmes of the central government. The basic principles of the legislation being prepared are based on the subsidiarity principle and allow for the realisation of only those national regional development programmes which have been agreed on with the voivodship authorities. As a result, the voivodship authorities shall be responsible for the execution of the regional agreement contracted with the central government and for the administration of most of the financial resources devoted to the realisation of the national government's regional policy goals.
 
      The new legislation in the area of regional development policy should also allow Polish administration to prepare coherent strategies and plans within the deadlines set by the European Union. Therefore, it shall allow Poland efficiently participate in the system of European structural and regional policy, with the application of a mixed model of mutual co-operation of central and regional governments. In this model the roles of the central and regional governments are balanced with respect to designing programmes. Regional governments, however, will be primarily responsible for their implementation, with the central government monitoring and controlling overall programme performance. Such a model retains competition between regions in applying for Structural Funds, but ensures the implementation of the principle of solidarity and the promotion of balanced development by the central government.
 
      Below the characteristics of the new Polish voivodships are presented.