May 1st marks the 22nd anniversary of Poland's accession to the European Union. The country's Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy used the occasion to publish an article emphasizing some most significant positive effects of membership, visible in everyday life: from open borders, through infrastructure, to the digitalization of public services.
Since 2004, the Polish economy has experienced significant growth. Nominal GDP has more than quadrupled, and in real terms, the economy has grown by over 130% - currently being nearly 2.5 times larger than upon joining the bloc.
Poland's GDP per capita has also grown significantly - from less than 50% of the EU average in 2004 to more than 80% in 2026. According to analyses by the Polish Economic Institute, real GDP per capita in 2024 is approximately 42% higher than it would have been without EU membership - and without European integration the Polish economy would likely be smaller by almost a third today.
This growth is driven by significant financial resources. Poland received more than EUR 273 billion (approximately PLN 1.1 trillion) from the EU budget. After accounting for membership dues, the balance remains significantly positive - in the green by over EUR 171 billion net (approximately PLN 728 billion) by the end of February of this year.
Poland is expected to remain a major beneficiary of EU funds in the coming years. In the 2028-2034 financial framework, it is set to receive approximately EUR 123 billion (over half a trillion złoty at current exchange rates).
The EU funds Poland received have translated into serious infrastructure investments. Over the past two decades, nearly 20,000 km of roads have been built or modernized across the country, including over 4,000 km of motorways and expressways.
The changes also encompassed public transport. Over 6,000 km of railway lines have been modernized across the country, and the rolling stock has been expanded with over a thousand modern passenger carriages. Nearly 6,000 buses operate in Polish cities - most of which are modern and accessible vehicles, with a quickly rising share of eco-friendly hybrid and electric models. Most of these improvements would be impossible without the EU support.
Another significant domain singled out by the ministry, in which European Union membership led to significant improvements, is digitalization. High-speed internet access has reached millions of Polish households - and thanks to e-government services, over a billion matters are now handled online annually in Poland.
The EU membership benefits listed by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy in its article are just the tip of the iceberg, though - as economically, socially and in terms of security it is hard to even imagine how much worse Poland's current situation would be without joining the block back in 2004.
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Source: PAP, IAR, gov.pl