Polish version below
The investments and reforms provided for in the National Recovery Plan are far from sufficient, but necessary, steps toward solving the challenges of the transport sector in an era of energy and climate crisis. The National Recovery Plan was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as originally intended, its goal was to neutralise the shock to the economy. The rapid emergence of another crisis related to the war in Ukraine and the prolonged waiting period for funds provide new context to the reforms and investments envisioned in the plan.
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan would be a major opportunity to support the Polish economy, with the “Green Smart Mobility” component accounting for 21% of the plan’s budget. This is a significant reinforcement for sustainable transport projects, which cannot always count on adequate financing. However, investments in transport require years of preparation, and the prospect of spending all funds by 2026 puts the program’s feasibility in question. The problem is particularly related to infrastructure projects and reducing the severity of the rail investment gap for the industry. The launch of the Polish Development Fund pre-financing for the National Recovery Plan investments brings the prospect of support projects closer but may be overdue.
