Poland will be the only EU member state to report economic growth in 2009, predicts the European Commission.

While the EU economy keeps shrinking as a whole by 4.1 per cent as a result of the finance crisis, Poland is likely to experience 1.2 per cent growth in GDP in 2009, according to the EC.

The report estimates Poland’s economy in 2010 will expand by 1.8 per cent and in 2011, 3.2 per cent.

Poland has survived the world financial crisis better than any other East-Central European country, says the report, echoing a similar evaluation from the World Bank.

The European Commission forecasts that eight of the 27 nations in the EU will still be in recession next year: Spain, Ireland, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria.

2011 will see the entire union come out of recession, predicts the EC. (mg)