The evolution of rural entrepreneurship is intrinsic to multifunctional rural development, a way for the Polish countryside to become a more attractive place to live and work. The study was primarily aimed at determining the scale of non-agricultural economic activities in rural areas and identifying factors affecting rural entrepreneurship, particularly after Poland’s accession to the European Union. The fi ndings from the survey carried out by Institute of Agricultural Economics and Food Economy allowed to analyse the main trends in non-agricultural activities in rural areas. Nearly half of fi rms operating in rural areas were engaged in trade. This kind of activity does not involve special risk and it does not depend on level of education of owner which contributed to its popularity. Only one tenth of fi rms were represented by manufacturing companies as setting up this kind of entity demands involvement of special fi nancial means and also professional knowledge of its owner. The key role in supporting of rural entrepreneurship play local governments and their activities in the fi eld of investment and education.

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