Access to high-speed internet, thermo-modernisation of multi-family buildings and subsidising new childcare places for children under three years of age are examples of investments to which funds from the first application for payment from the National Reconstruction Plan (KPO) will be allocated. “All residents of our country will benefit from this money”, announced the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy (MFiPR).

“We have already sent the first application for payment from the KPO to the European Commission. Now we will do everything so that the citizens of our country can benefit from these funds as soon as possible. This is more than PLN 31 billion, which will work for the development of the whole of Poland,” said Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister for Funds and Regional Policy, during a press conference.

According to the head of the MFiPR, thanks to the funds from the NIP, nearly one million households will receive access to high-speed Internet. There will also be 47 000 new care places in crèches and children’s clubs. “We will also subsidise the thermal modernisation of 115,000 flats in multi-family houses in cities and towns across the country”, she added.

Poland has submitted its first application for payment to the European Commission. Its value is EUR 6.9 billion (over PLN 31 billion), including almost EUR 2.8 billion (PLN 12.4 billion) from the grant part and almost EUR 4.2 billion (PLN 18.7 billion) from the loan part.

The European Commission now has approximately 2.5 months to assess the submitted application. However, the procedure for the opinions of the Commission’s committees will take approximately one month. The disbursement of funds from the first payment application is expected in April 2024.

Next year, Poland is planning to submit two further applications for KPO funds each in two time slots. This means that the second and third applications will be submitted in the first half of 2024, and the fourth and fifth in the second part.

The KPO is a programme from which Poland is expected to receive €59.8 billion (over PLN 267 billion), including €25.3 billion (PLN 113.3 billion) in grants and €34.5 billion (PLN 154.8 billion) in preferential loans.

Adrian Andrzejewski