Wsparcie rozwoju regionalnego w warunkach uczestnictwa Polski w Unii Europejskiej

The aim of the paper is referring to selected theoretical aspects of the region and regional development, presenting the evolution of regional policy in the European Union and Poland, describing effects of the policy supporting regional development in Poland during first decade of XXI century. Author shows links between regional policy in the European Union and this policy in Poland, describes the improvement process of planning and implementation, evaluate the importance of this policy as instrument of socio-economic development. Evolution and changes in European and Polish regional policies are focused on the unchanged paradigm underlying the validity of sustainability and convergence as the rule of policy for regional development.