The competitiveness of the economy, the mitigation of demographic change and the security of the country are the three main challenges facing Poland over the next 10 years, as identified in the draft medium-term national development strategy. The most important objective? To conduct state policy so that Poland develops in a multicentre way, around small and medium-sized cities, not only in the largest metropolises. Today, the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy launched public consultation on the "National Development Strategy 2035”. Comments can be submitted until the end of October.

Later this year, approximately PLN 26 billion from the fourth and fifth request for payment from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan will be invested in the implementation of further projects that will drive the Polish economy. This money will be allocated, among others, for energy and railway infrastructure or health and education.

The state of implementation of regional programmes for 2021-2027 and the place of the cohesion policy in the future EU budget were among the main topics discussed at the Polish Marshals' Convention in Sulejów. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Jacek Karnowski.

The Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy is working on the Act on the Security and Defence Fund (SDF) in a transparent and open manner with broad participation of social and business partners. The draft has been published in the Government Legislative Process, a service run by the Government Legislation Centre, where anyone interested can read it and submit their views.

Almost 5000 students and 4000 teachers from all over Poland will be able to participate in educational trips abroad in the years 2025-2027. They will be funded by the European Funds for Social Development programme for 2021-2027. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy for the project entitled, "International learning mobility of students and school education staff”.

Today, the Council of Ministers has adopted the Concept of National Development 2050 (KRK). It is an innovative strategic document that determined a vision for Poland's development over the next 25 years. The document responds to global megatrends and dynamically changing socio-economic, environmental, spatial and geopolitical conditions.

Five films from Norway and Iceland will be screened for audiences at the 25th New Horizons International Film Festival in Wrocław as part of the Oslo/Reykjavik section. The EEA and Norway Grants are the Festival's Main Partner.

Negotiations with the European Commission on the EU budget for 2028-2034 are entering a key phase. EC President, Ursula von der Leyen, together with Budget Commissioner, Piotr Serafin, presented in Brussels the first proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework after 2027. The conclusion of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council was the need to maintain a decentralised cohesion policy supporting the sustainable development of all regions in the EU.

A debate on the future of the cohesion policy and the cohesive development of EU regions, the adoption of General Affairs Council conclusions on cohesion and cohesion policy beyond 2027 and the so-called Warsaw Declaration, and the organisation of over a dozen events at various levels, including the High-Level Conference of EU Eastern Regions - are the most important achievements of the Polish Presidency from the perspective of the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy.

The first of 13 competitions planned for this year under the Critical Technology Support Fund has been launched. These are not just new competitions, but a completely new approach to funding innovation. Their aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of Polish enterprises by channelling funds to subsidise advanced technologies in key and strategic sectors for our economy. The budget for this year alone amounts to 1.84 billion from the European funds. Funding will be available to companies and research entities from all over the country.