Republic of Croatia has one of the lowest utilization rates for financing projects from EU funds from both periods in the overall time range from 2007. to 2020. Insufficient quality adjustment to modern standards has resulted in long-term stagnation of national competitiveness on the regional and internatonal market. The EU’s main strategy is called Europe 2020, and it brings a vision of the European social market economy. It is based on a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy, with the goal of establishing a strong single market for the 21st centrury, long-term and stable growth and regional equality within the Union. One of the most important policies is the Cohesion Policy funded from three different funds, namely the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development and the European Social Fund. In addition to these, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Fund for Maritime and Fisheries are available, and all five funds together have the common denominator European Structural and Investment Funds. Operational programs are plan-program documents that further describe and elaborate measures and activities for the effective implementation and use of ESI funds. For the period of 2014.-2020. Croatia has prepared two operationl programs for the implementation of EU Cohesion Policy: Competitiveness and Cohesion and Effective Human Resources. In order to have the cause of insufficient EU funds utilization by the Republic of Croatia, a parallel comparasion was made with the Republic of Poland in the area of programs and expected investment areas, spatial levels of funding and assistance from EU funds, writing and implementation of projects, political stability and long-term economic goals. From the aforementioned comparisons, it can be concluded that the Republic of Poland is better off in all the above mentioned topics and that it has a direct impact on the utilization and quality of funding from EU funds.