Von der Leyen described Poland's efforts to restore the rule of law as decisive. The aid package includes €60 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which was launched due to the pandemic, and €76 billion from cohesion funds, equivalent to about 22% of Poland's annual GDP. The purpose of this package is to encourage green transformation and investments in infrastructure, and the funds will be disbursed over the next few years.
Poland – one of the last EU member states to be approved for post-pandemic recovery funds – has until the summer of 2026 to use the funds. Prime Minister Tusk stressed that small food and agricultural producers will be supported with the first payments, and also addressed concerns about EU climate policy and the flow of agricultural products from Ukraine.
Financial markets reacted positively to Tusk's election, with the zloty and Polish stocks rising since then. According to a Bloomberg report, the European Commission is ready to approve Poland's first payment request related to the €6.3 billion Rapid Response Fund, and formal approval also requires the support of EU member states.
The aid has previously been blocked due to concerns about the rule of law, as Poland must meet certain milestones, including judicial reforms. Polish ministers introduced draft laws in Brussels this week outlining reform of key judicial bodies. Von der Leyen described these proposals as a “clear road map for Poland” at a press conference in Warsaw on Friday.
If the payments are approved next week, Hungary will remain the only EU country not yet allowed to receive payments from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Because the Hungarian government has not yet achieved the required seventeen goals.
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Cover image: Donald Tusk and Ursula von der Leyen. Image source: European Union/Christophe Lecoup.
