Discussions with the European Commission on the National Reconstruction Plan against Poland’s economic transformation
05.02.2021
The discussion on how to implement the recommendations of the European Commission on the National Reconstruction Plan in the context of the so-called European Semester was the main subject of the discussion by Michał Kurtyka, Minister of Climate and Environment, with Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, at the videoconference held on February 5. The meeting addressed the important issues of adaptation to climate change, waste management, clean air and waste water financing in the framework of the National Reconstruction Plan.
The National Reconstruction Plan prepared by the Polish government refers to the EU Recovery & Resilience Facility, which covers a total of more than 672 billion euros of loans and grants. At the same time, National Reconstruction Plan is part of this year’s edition of the European Semester, the EU’s economic policy coordination mechanism, which has focused on EU's economic recovery in the context of the economic crisis caused by COVID-19.
The EU Recovery and Resilience Facility will be implemented within the framework of the National Reconstruction Plan, which will obligatory allocate 37% of the resources to a “green” transition. We plan to focus on solutions that will stimulate investment, growth and employment through structural changes. Key areas of action will include: clean air, energy efficiency, zero-emission urban transport, hydrogen technology development, as well as adaptation of cities to climate change, said Minister Michał Kurtyka at the meeting.
In order to stimulate “green” economic development, the Ministry of Climate and Environment focuses primarily on measures to adapt urban areas to climate change, including the improvement of water retention. In addition, in line with the European Commission's guidelines, urban waste management in cohesion policy will be supported as part of the circular economy. Minister Michał Kurtyka also emphasised the intensive efforts of the Polish government to improve air quality in Poland.
We fully share the European Commission's view that environmental and climate concerns and the energy transition involved must be an integral part of the EU’s strategy to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. We therefore welcome the fact that the Commission has made green transformation one of the main points of the current cycle of the European Semester. However, I would like to point out that, in the face of the economic crisis that is taking place across Europe, it has become more important than ever to protect the most vulnerable and to take account of the specificities of the Member States on their path to climate neutrality, added Minister Michał Kurtyka.