70th anniversary of the Council of Europe Development Bank
16.03.2026
From 16 to 18 March 2026, the 59th joint meeting of the Administrative Council and the Governing Board of the Council of Europe Development Bank was held in Warsaw. During the meeting, the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe Development Bank was celebrated. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland.
In his opening address, the Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank, Carlo Monticelli, recalled the Bank’s social mission, which took on particular significance after the Second World War. A conflict that left Europe devastated, politically unstable and torn by antagonistic political systems. The Bank’s mission at that time was to support displaced persons and help restore social stability. Over time, the Bank’s mission also cexpanded to housing finance, health and education. Currently, the key challenge is to ensure adequate funding for social investments, particularly where they are most needed.
The host of the event, Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domański, emphasised the unique role of the Council of Europe Development Bank within the system of multilateral development banks. He noted that 93 billion euros invested in 2,300 projects across Europe provide tangible support for the development of member states, including Poland. Minister Domański stated that Europe’s economic growth must be stimulated in order to reconcile objectives regarding energy security, defence and social affairs in today’s geopolitical environment.
The three-day meeting was attended by distinguished guests, including Arancha González – former Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mikołaj Dowgielewicz – Deputy Secretary General of the EIB, and Mateusz Szczurek – former Minister of Finance and currently a member of the Board of Directors of BGK.
Poland acceded to the Partial Agreement on the Council of Europe Development Bank in 1998. To date, assistance has been provided for 80 projects with a total value of EUR 8 billion. The implementation of these projects was made possible through cooperation between local authorities, financial institutions, the private sector and the State Treasury.
