For example, the bilateral Polish-Russian Intergovernmental Committee for Economic Cooperation – the committee responsible for setting ground rules of trade between the two states – was established in 2005 and had its first joint meeting in 2006. However, the second meeting is yet to be held. It is planned for February – three years after the last session.

“Poland’s investment rate in Russia is lower than it could have been, while Russian investment rate in Poland is among the lowest in Europe,” said Russian Ambassador to Poland Vladimir Grinin, during a recent meeting with businessmen at the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG).

Ambassador Grinin recalled a request from the organizers of an economic forum in Silesia who asked the Russian embassy to prepare a speech about Russian investments in Poland.

“It was difficult, given there are hardly any Russian investments in the Silesia region, and you can count the ones in Poland on one hand,” he said. As of June 2008, the value of Polish investments in Russia was estimated at $477 (zł.1,459) million, but could have been much more, according to the ambassador.

Other problems in bilateral trade relations that Grinin mentioned include limited cooperation between small and medium-sized firms from both countries, despite a memorandum encouraging such cooperation.

“Support for the companies does not have to come from the center. We hope for more activity from Polish regions and more cooperation with Polish business organizations,” said Ambassador Grinin.

These are the issues the joint committee could take on if only it met more often. Andrzej Arendarski, the president of KIG, pointed out that both sides could benefit from a long-awaited agreement on supporting and securing investments. Similar agreements with other countries have proven profitable for all sides involved, but Polish business has been waiting for an agreement since the 1990s.

“Even if the government excuses the delays while adjusting to EU law, it has been five years since we joined the Union,” said Henryk Cuga, from Poland-Russia Business Council. He also lamented some remaining formal difficulties in Polish meat exports to Russia, even though the Russian embargo on Polish meat was officially abolished last year.