In the recent years, the European Union has been gradually introducing changes leading to the liberalization of the European defence equipment market and the reduction of the impact of protectionist policies on countries’ defence industries. In Poland, this practice is visible, e.g., in the changing of the rules for military orders and conducting transactions offset. This article aims to assess the impact of these changes on the functioning of the national defence industry in Poland. The rating is the result of interviews with the experts dealing with this issue in 2014 and 2015 and the effect of an analysis of the recent literature. The results of those studies indicate that Polish defence industry will be subjected to changes in the coming years. These changes will bring both positive and negative impact on the functioning of the industry. Ultimate effects of these changes, concerning in particular the export and import of the products of this industry, will balance themselves out. Therefore, we don’t have to expect neither a sudden economic collapse of this industry nor its rapid development.

In the recent years, the European Union has been gradually introducing changes leading to the liberalization of the European defence equipment market and the reduction of the impact of protectionist policies on countries’ defence industries. In Poland, this practice is visible, e.g., in the changing of the rules for military orders and conducting transactions offset. This article aims to assess the impact of these changes on the functioning of the national defence industry in Poland. The rating is the result of interviews with the experts dealing with this issue in 2014 and 2015 and the effect of an analysis of the recent literature. The results of those studies indicate that Polish defence industry will be subjected to changes in the coming years. These changes will bring both positive and negative impact on the functioning of the industry. Ultimate effects of these changes, concerning in particular the export and import of the products of this industry, will balance themselves out. Therefore, we don’t have to expect neither a sudden economic collapse of this industry nor its rapid development.