We have agreed the establishment of the Security and Defence Fund (SDF) under the NRP with the European Commission. This means a green light for strategic investment with the total worth of PLN 25 billion that will strengthen Poland's civil infrastructure, defence industry and cyber security.

Climate change, digital transformation, geopolitical tensions - these are just some of the challenges facing OECD regions today. The answer is to be found in the modern regional policy, based on local potential and well integrated with the national development strategies. During the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee meeting, Poland which chaired the meeting, presented key conclusions for the future regional policy in a joint Chair's Statement developed with OECD countries.

Economic, social and territorial cohesion is one of the EU's key priorities. To be effective, the coordination of European Union policies should take into account the territorial dimension. Cohesion policy should remain open to all regions to make full use of their potential and strengths. These are just some of the provisions of the Joint Declaration. The document was approved by EU ministers for cohesion policy, territorial affairs and urban policy at the informal meeting in Warsaw. Poland was represented by the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and the Deputy Minister, Jan Szyszko.

Poland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway signed agreements for the fourth edition of the Norwegian and EEA Funds for Poland. Our country will receive PLN 4 billion. The event took place on 23 April in Warsaw.

Almost PLN 300 million from the European Funds for a Modern Economy (FENG) programme will be allocated for the strengthening of cooperation between science and business. Today, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Marcin Kulasek, have signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of a project that will result, among others, in the effective introduction of the R&D solutions developed in the economy.

In 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Act on Ensuring that Business Entities Meet Accessibility Requirements for Certain Products and Services will come into force. On this occasion, the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy organised a conference attended by the Deputy Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Jan Szyszko.

The Steering Committee for the implementation of the Security and Defence Fund launched its work. The SDF money shall be allocated for civil protection, critical infrastructure and the modernisation of industry, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said at the opening meeting of the committee. The adoption of the Act establishing the Fund is expected in the autumn.

Socio-economic and territorial cohesion is of key importance to achieving the EU's goals, including the economic security, resilience, competitiveness as well as environmental and digital transformation, Deputy Minister Jan Szyszko said. The deputy minister of the MDFRP attended a plenary meeting of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, focusing on the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council.

Twenty-two agreements for the total amount of over PLN 13 billion have been signed and announced today in various parts of Poland. It is the highest number of agreements concluded on a single day since the launch of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRP). Due to this support, among others, PGE will finance the expansion and modernisation of electricity grids, and the Maritime Office in Gdynia will adapt the Port of Łeba for the construction and operation of Polish offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.

The EU faces a number of challenges: the war in Ukraine, increasing the competitiveness, resilience and defence capabilities of the EU. Europe needs to be stronger, more sovereign and more responsible, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy advocated at the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. In connection with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy chaired a Council meeting on the current and future cohesion policy in a cohesion format.