Brussels, 18 January 2022
The Commission has granted €136 million of additional funding to six European Regional Development Fund Operational Programmes (OPs) in Poland under the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU). These funds will help Polish regions support their health systems in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and invest in their green and digital transition.
Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said:
“Once more REACT-EU is bringing tangible support for citizens on the ground. These resources will help these Polish regions recover from the pandemic and will pave the way for a fair, digital and green transition. I would like to thank the Polish authorities for the collaboration in mobilising these resources.”
- In Małopolska, €33.5 million will increase the working capital for health infrastructure and local entrepreneurs. The resources will finance a comprehensive psychological and psychotherapeutic support to children and young people and improve the accessibility of health services by, for example, investments in e-health.
- In Pomorskie, €21.7 million will support local small and medium-sized business (SMEs), the production of energy from renewable energy sources. It will also help tackling the long-term negative health effects of the Covid-19 pandemic accessibility and quality of rehabilitation services for cardiological, neurological and pulmonary patients suffering health complications.
- Zachodniopomorskie is topped up with €18.7 million. Part of these resources will be used to invest in a better and more resilient health system. The funds will mainly support the infrastructure of hospitals so that in the long-term diagnostic and health care services can be provided to both infectious and healthy patients in a safe way. Another part of the resources will support the green transition, such as energy-efficient renovations of residential buildings.
- In Lubelskie, almost €26 million will be invested in renewable energy sources and in SMEs. It will also improve the accessibility of the health sector by investing, for example, in e-health, to reduce the risk of social exclusion. The resources will also support the green transition of the region by supporting, for example, the energy-efficient renovation of public buildings.
- In Warmińsko-Mazurskie, €20 million will be addressed to support SMEs and employees as well as the health sector. The funds will also provide much needed support to the primary health care and other medical entities with stationary and round-the-clock health services for patients, including the rehabilitation from the long-term health effects of a Covid-19 infection.
- In Świetokrzyskie, an additional €15.9 million will be fully used to support energy efficiency in the public sector, for example by covering the heating requirements of the two largest hospitals in the region. 100% of the REACT-EU allocation in the region will be climate-related expenditure.
Background
As part of NextGenerationEU, REACT-EU provides a top-up of €50.6 billion (in current prices) to Cohesion policy programmes over the course of 2021 and 2022. Measures focus on supporting labour market resilience, jobs, SMEs and low-income families, as well as setting future-proof foundations for the green and digital transitions and a sustainable socio-economic recovery in accordance with the REACT-EU objectives and with the 2020 country specific recommendations for the country concerned. REACT-EU entered into force on 24 December 2020 and can finance expenditure retroactively from 1 February 2020 until 31 December 2023.
For More Information
Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) and Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus (CRII+)