Support to business competitiveness and national security complemented the EU bank's comprehensive engagement in Poland last year, helping to leverage €13.5 billion in total investment, which corresponds to 1.6% of the country's GDP.
“Investing in Poland – the EIB Group's fifth-largest beneficiary - is a crucial investment in European cohesion. Last year, we supported Polish cities and regions, as well as financing Poland's multifaceted energy transition. From power grids to energy efficiency to renewable sources, EIB Group funding was instrumental in advancing climate action, ensuring safety of supplies, and boosting economic competitiveness. A sharp rise in financing for innovation and SMEs is also noteworthy as it provides for a stronger and more vibrant economy. Finally, let me highlight that it was in Poland that the bank signed its largest defence and security project last year,” EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska told a news conference. “In 2025 we have already provided major support to Baltica 2 and, as the EU's climate bank, intend to play a leading role in the development of offshore wind in Poland.”
The EIB Group's 2024 results bring total financing in Poland over the past five years to €28 billion.
“Poland is among the top clients of the EIB Group with financing worth €5.7 billion last year. Last spring the EIB presented an ambitious plan for growing defence and security engagement, including in cooperation with NATO. We hope that several billions of these funds will find their way into the Polish economy. Our chief need currently is to support the defence industry. Poland has fantastic companies that are competitive in many European countries, and around the world. We would like these companies to be able to benefit from the enhanced EIB funding. We would like to have as many of these defence and security projects as possible. To quote Poland's finance minister: we want more," said Deputy Minister of Finance Paweł Karbownik.
In a bid to strengthen climate resilience, the EIB and the ministry have also signed a new agreement worth €200 million to strengthen Poland's flood protection infrastructure.
Cities and cohesion regions, energy and security
Around €2.5 billion supported sustainable growth of cohesion regions and cities from large metropolitan areas including Warsaw and Poznań to medium-sized centres like Rybnik and Kielce. More than €1 billion was directed at urban and regional transport.
Climate and environment projects also won €2.5 billion in 2024, including energy transition ones backed by REPowerEU. The EIB signed agreements totalling €850 million with ORLEN Group, ENEA and PGE to upgrade and expand power distribution grids across the country. Further agreements promoted energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.
Moreover, the EIB extended €300 million to Poland's first satellite programme, the group's largest single defence and security investment in 2024.
Boost for business competitiveness
The EIB Group's backing for development of innovation, digital and human capital in Poland jumped 127% year-on-year to €840 million with Polish robotics company Nomagic among beneficiaries.
The European Investment Fund (EIF), the group's arm dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), doubled its engagement in Poland to €1.3 billion in 2024, reaching some 35,000 companies and helping create 225,000 jobs.
To rally new SME financing, the EIB and the EIF signed intermediated loans with Pekao Leasing, SGEF Poland and Credit Agricole Poland, as well as two synthetic securitisations with Estonia's Inbank and Santander Bank Polska/Santander Leasing.
