The European Commission (EC) presented the last economic forecasts published on the 11th of February.

Last year Poland experienced one of the mildest recession in the EU

-  noted minister Kościński.

The decrease of the GDP was only 2.8%, and only Ireland and Lithuania achieved better results.  Last year’s performance turned out to be clearly better than the last forecasts. At the same time, the EC anticipates that, in the years 2021-2022, the GDP in Poland will increase by 3.1% and 5.1% respectively.

The ministers learned about the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and about works on the National Recovery Plans (NRPs). Minister Kościński presented the outline of Polish priorities in this area.

In Poland, thanks to the NRP, we want to improve access to health services and their quality, increase the use of digital technologies, improve air quality and reduce the CO2 emissions. The activities such as, among others, investments increasing the possibilities of educating medics, expanding digital solutions, elimination of blank spots in the access to the internet, introducing the e-services in the offices, reducing emission from means of transport or increasing the use of the renewable energy resources, are supposed to serve these goals

- said the chief of the Ministry of Finance and of the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy.

The Minister presented the state of works on the preparation of Polish project of the NRP.

During the videoconference the EC presented the state of the implementation of the European instrument of temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency, which occurred in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic (the so-called SURE instrument) and plans concerning the strategy of financing the Recovery Plan for Europe. To ensure the operability of this activities, it is necessary, among others, for the Members States to ratify the Own Resources Decision (ORD). In Poland, this procedure is already underway.

The ministers also discussed the possibilities of supporting the poorest countries as a part of promoting the EU Global Recovery Initiative, including to reduce debt and ensure sustainable financing at the multilateral level. The above-mentioned initiative was launched by the President von der Leyen in May 2020. It links debts reliefs and investments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Poland agrees with the need to address the challenges faced by the low-income countries in terms of their ability to finance the economic recovery. In our opinion, the best way to support these activities is joint, co-ordinated EU approach, which will strengthen its role as global participant in these discussions

- said minister Kościński. 

The ministers expressed their support to grant discharge to the EC for the implementation of the EU budget for 2019. The recommendation in this area was prepared on the basis of the report of the European Court of Auditors (ECA). Basing on the financial performance of the general EU budget and taking into account the findings of the ECA, the recommendation states that the discharge should be granted to the EC.

The ministers presented also the guidelines for preparing the EU budget for 2022. In the conclusions including the above-mentioned guidelines the Council points to the important role that the EU budget will play in achieving long-term political goals and priorities of the EU, as well as in the process of rebuilding the European economy after the pandemic.

The above-mentioned guidelines will then be presented to the European Parliament, the EC and other institutions.

The above-mentioned documents were elaborated at the working level and their formal adoption by the Council will follow a written procedure, after the meeting of the ministers of finance.