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The 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement sets out the Polish investment priorities for 2014‑2020, namely:

• Promoting a favourable business environment and facilitating entrepreneurship and innovation;
• Social cohesion and active labour market participation;
• Network infrastructure for growth and jobs;
• Environment and resource efficiency.

24 operational programmes will be implemented in Poland (16 are regional); they combine the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF).

The Ministry of Investment and Development is responsible for:

• Developing national policy  which encompasses  sustainable development; socio-economic and territorial cohesion);
• Facilitating the implementation of the National Strategy for Regional Development (Krajowa Strategia Rozwoju Regionalnego) and other regional policies (regional competitiveness, territorial and spatial cohesion);
• Implementing the 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy;
• Coordinating the development and the implementation of regional operational programmes by regional governments;
• Supporting EU cooperation, managing European Funds, and monitoring implementation.

EU Funds

In this area, the Ministry is responsible for:

• Adopting the Cohesion Policy at the national level;
• Implementing the Cohesion Policy by means of six operational programmes at the national level.
  
   

Spatial planning

In this area, the Ministry is responsible for:

• Adopting the National Urban Policy (Krajowa Polityka Miejska); planning and spatial management, both at the national and regional levels. More specifically, this covers:
• Shaping space;
• Public participation;
• Transport and urban mobility;
• Energy efficiency;
• Revitalization;
• The investment policy;
• Economic development;
• Environmental protection; 
• Adaptation to climate change;
• Demography; and
• Urban governance.

Regional

Regions are responsible for:

• Adopting a strategy for regional development.

EU Funds

Acting as managing authorities with regard to approximately 40% of the EU funds;

• Implementing the National Cohesion Strategy by means of 16 Regional Operational Programmes;
• Preparing and implementing regional development programmes fully decentralised at the regional level.

Spatial planning

• Spatial development (adoption of a Strategy for regional development and a Plan of Spatial Development in the Region);
• Water management;
• Land amelioration;
• Maintenance of hydro-installations.

Local

Local authorities are responsible for:

• Adopting local development plan;
• Spatial and land use planning;
• Water and supply sewage treatment;
• Maintaining landfills.

Responsible ministries/bodies

The Ministry of Investment and Development

Regional (voivodship) authorities

County (powiat) authorities

Local (gmina) authorities

Sources:

Act on the regions (Dz. U. z 1998r. Nr 91, poz. 576).

European Commission 2014 Summary of the Partnership Agreement for Poland, 2014-2020

European Commission, 2014, Poland Cohesion Policy Factsheet.

Ministry of Development

Ministry of Infrastructure/Development 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement

Ministry of Infrastructure and Development, 2015, Presentation Cohesion Policy in Poland 2014- 2020

Poland EU Operational Programmes

Spatial Planning and Spatial Management Act [ Ustawa z dnia 27 marca 2003 r. o planowaniu i zagospodarowaniu przestrzennym (Dz. U. z dnia 10 maja 2003 r]