Summary:

The paper outlines the chosen problems of technical infrastructure, settlement and environmental protection – included in the National Strategic Framework of Reference (NSRO) for the years 2007–2013. Transport infrastructure of Poland is backward and underinvested. The length of highways in 2006 amounted to 674 km, and the express ways – 257 km. Bad condition of railway infrastructure and rolling stock constitutes the main problem of railway transport. The length of railway lines under exploitation decreased in the years 2000–2005 from 22,6 thousand km to 20,3 thousand km, and the railway network density from 7,2 km /100 km² to 6,5 km/100 km2, however it still exceeds the mean value for the EU countries by 5 km/100km2. Energetic infrastructure bases almost entirely (92%) on the non – renewable sources mainly fuels, and is thus one of the main sources of environmental pollution. The technical condition of the country energetic network, as well as gas pipes, do not threaten the safety of energetic supply for receivers. For the last ten – odd years environmental infrastructure has been developing in a proper way. One may observe the increase of the protected lands area (at present 32,5% of the total country area); a significant progress in the sphere of water – sewage management and waste management has been made. On the other hand the river flood hazard increases. Over 3,9% of existing water accumulating devices and over 26% of embankments is in bad condition. The highest flood risk appears on the borderlands of southern and south-eastern Poland. The settlement system of the towns is advantageous – polycentric, but rural settlement system, of dispersed character is disadvantageous. Rural settlement is backward in the infrastructure development, especially water – sewage management and waste management). For example sewage purification plants in the year 2005 comprised about 60% of the country population, in that in towns 85% and in villages 20%. Only 40% of towns and 25% of villages were equipped in modern purification plants with high reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus components. Poorly developed technical infrastructure, caused to great extent by settlement dispersion, is one of the basic barriers of rural areas development in Poland. Some conditionings of the strategy feasibility basing on the SWOT analysis have been outlined. The NSRO realization will result, among others, in the development and transformation of the transport and energetic infrastructure and further improvement of the natural environment conditions.