The deal, which covers the 2021-2027 period, was announced by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
EUR 76.5 billion for Poland until 2027
Morawiecki told reporters in Warsaw that “the negotiations brought great success.”
“This is more than EUR 76 billion from cohesion policy alone,” he said.
He noted that “Poland is the biggest beneficiary of cohesion policy - the policy of equalising opportunities, the policy of building new roads.”
He added: “It’s what we want to focus on, to provide the necessary funds for rural areas, for local communities, for the smaller towns, for areas in need of environmental and energy transformation.”
Meanwhile, the EU's Ferreira said the bloc’s adoption of the Partnership Agreement with Poland was “a historic moment.”
Research & innovation, fast internet
Ferreira told reporters that the cohesion policy money would finance research and innovation at universities and at small and mid-sized companies, as well as fast internet for 1.5 million households, among other objectives.
In an earlier statement, the EU commissioner said: “Poland continues to be the largest beneficiary of EU funds, and this is a reflection of the appetite of the country to grow and transform itself into a more modern, more green and more digital economy. It is also commensurate with the challenges that Poland faces today and in the near future.”
Ferreira also said that the Partnership Agreement "is a new opening with a long-term perspective to foster the development of Polish regions."
She added: "We support Poland's path towards decarbonisation and digitalisation.”
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, ec.europa.eu