So far, five voivodships have benefited from the programme for Eastern Poland: Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie. In the new budget perspective they will be joined by a part of Mazowieckie voivodship - apart from Warsaw and nine poviats surrounding it - that is the statistical region of Mazowieckie region.

On the one hand, the programme for Eastern Poland will be a natural continuation of investments in the areas we have been developing so far. On the other hand, we also want it to reflect the latest trends set by the EU policy. We will continue to invest in business innovations, support for start-ups, transport infrastructure. But we will also focus, for example, on adapting cities to climate change and strengthening the region's tourism potential

- says Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy.

The new program of European Funds for Eastern Poland will focus on four main areas: entrepreneurship and investment; energy and climate; coherent transport network and social capital, tourism and spa services.

The grants will support small and medium sized enterprises, innovative start-ups, companies from the tourism and energy sectors, as well as local governments and public service providers, and NGOs.

Large urban projects, such as those relating to sustainable urban transport, as well as supra-regional road and rail investments, will be able to receive co-financing from the European Funds. Among others, further investments are planned in the creation of the Eastern Railway Main Line.

Eastern Poland Macroregion covers over 40 per cent of the country's area and is inhabited by almost 10.5 million people. This is 27 percent of Poland's population. In this area there are 286 cities, of which only 8 have more than 100 thousand inhabitants, while 202 have less than 15 thousand inhabitants. 60 cities are medium-sized and losing their socio-economic functions.

Eastern Poland accounts for 20 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Value of GDP per capita in these voivodships ranges from 67 to 84 per cent of the national average and from 48 to 60 per cent of the EU average.

Two perspectives of the European Funds have already ended, during which Eastern Poland macroregion was covered by a programme specially designed for it.

In 2007-2013, the Development of Eastern Poland Programme was implemented, with a value of nearly PLN 10 billion. The Eastern Poland Programme 2014-2020 is still being implemented. Its value amounts to over PLN 8 billion. Due to the funds, 2.5 thousand projects have been completed so far, and calls for entrepreneurs are still ongoing.

The effects of the programme to date include:

• support for 3.2 thousand enterprises generating private investment worth PLN 1.5 billion,
• entry into new foreign markets of about 240 entrepreneurs,
• creation of 2.2 thousand jobs,
• purchase of 322 pieces of ecological fleet for public transport in voivodship capitals,
• putting into service over 57 kilometres of new cycling routes,
• construction and reconstruction of 150 kilometres of roads,
• modernisation of 540 km of railway lines and 10 railway stations.

The programme intended for Eastern Poland macroregion is not the only one, which these voivodships will benefit from. As in previous years, in the new financial perspective for 2021-2027 each voivodship will have funds at its disposal from the regional programme. Lubelskie will receive EUR 1.768 billion, Mazowieckie - EUR 1.670 billion, Podkarpackie - EUR 1.661 billion, Podlaskie - EUR 992 million, Świętokrzyskie - EUR 1.106 billion and Warmińsko-Mazurskie - EUR 1.228 billion.

There is still EUR 7.1 billion in the pool of funds of the regional programmes to be distributed among all the voivodships under the programme contract arrangements. Projects of key importance for the government and voivodship self-governments, submitted by Marshals to programme contracts, can count on additional funds.

Additionally, Lubelskie voivodship is one of six voivodships (together with the Dolnośląskie, Łódzkie, Małopolskie, Śląskie and Wielkopolskie voivodships), which will receive support from the Just Transition Fund. It will amount to EUR 248 million. The fund aims to mitigate the effects of the transition to a climate-neutral economy.

All voivodships can also receive support from the Reconstruction Fund under the National Recovery Plan and domestic programmes.

On 5 March social consultations of the Programme for Eastern Poland began. They will be combined with consultations of the forecast of influence on the environment and will last until 8 April.

The programme description can be found at the EU Funds website  and service of the Eastern Poland programme. Form for submitting comments to the programme is available at: https://www.polskawschodnia.gov.pl/konsultacje.