The European Commission has given the green light to Poland’s latest €7.9 billion claim under the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery and Resilience Facility, putting Warsaw on course to receive

another substantial tranche of European funding as it races to complete its reform programme before the scheme closes.

The Commission said on Monday that Poland had satisfactorily delivered the 16 milestones and 13 targets attached to its fifth payment request, submitted on 19 June. The preliminary assessment now moves to the EU’s Economic and Financial Committee, which has four weeks to issue its opinion before the Commission can formally approve the payment.

The decision marks another significant step in Poland’s effort to draw down funds from the EU’s flagship NextGenerationEU programme, with the latest tranche tied to measures spanning education, energy infrastructure, urban transport, digitalisation and the country’s emerging space sector.

Among the most visible achievements is a major expansion of digital technology in Polish schools. More than 500,000 teachers — representing over 65% of the country’s teaching workforce — have received vouchers for portable computers. More than 16,500 primary and secondary schools, or over three-quarters of all public schools, have also been equipped with laptops and tablets for educational purposes.

The Commission said the investment was intended not simply to provide hardware, but to strengthen digital skills across Poland’s education system at a time when technology is becoming increasingly central to teaching and learning.

The payment is also linked to Poland’s efforts to establish a clearer framework for its growing space industry. The adoption of the Space Activities Act has created rules governing space activities and the use of satellite data, including by public authorities. Brussels sees wider access to satellite information as potentially important for public administration, infrastructure planning and the development of new digital services.

Transport is another prominent element of the package. Eighty-eight new trams have been purchased for Wrocław, Poznań and Kraków, supporting efforts by some of Poland’s largest cities to modernise public transport and reduce emissions.

The Commission has also highlighted changes to the rules governing electricity-grid connections. Amendments to Poland’s Energy Law introduce common procedures for connecting customers and businesses to the national network, require information on available connection capacity to be published and allow applications to be submitted electronically.

The measures come as Poland faces growing pressure to expand and modernise its electricity infrastructure. The rapid development of renewable energy, electrification and new industrial investment is increasing demand for grid capacity, making faster and more transparent connection procedures a strategic issue for the Polish economy.

The latest tranche also supports the digitalisation of the electricity system. Funding has helped establish a data hub for the electricity market, while power-quality monitoring systems have been installed at 48 substations and three IT systems have been developed for the transmission system operator.

Taken together, the projects illustrate the increasingly broad reach of Poland’s recovery programme. What began as an EU response to the economic shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has evolved into a major investment programme covering energy security, digital infrastructure, public services, transport and economic modernisation.

Poland’s recovery and resilience plan is backed by a total of €54.72 billion, comprising €25.28 billion in grants and €29.44 billion in loans. Its priorities include the green and digital transitions, healthcare, labour-market reform, renewable energy, electricity grids, offshore wind, energy-efficient buildings, sustainable transport, childcare and hospital modernisation.

The latest payment would take the total amount disbursed to Poland under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to €42.05 billion, including €5.06 billion in pre-financing.

That represents 76.85% of the total funding allocated to Poland under its recovery plan. The Commission said 71.69% of all milestones and targets under the plan have now been fulfilled.

The figures underline both the scale of the EU's financial support to Poland and the increasingly tight timetable facing Warsaw. The Recovery and Resilience Facility is due to close at the end of 2026, meaning member states have only a limited window to complete the remaining commitments.

Under the EU timetable, all outstanding milestones and targets must be implemented by August 2026, while final payment requests must be submitted by the end of September.

For Poland, the latest Commission assessment therefore represents more than a routine administrative step. It provides further evidence that Warsaw is converting a substantial share of its EU recovery allocation into projects designed to reshape the country's infrastructure, public services and energy system — while leaving little room for delay in the final months of the programme. Foto-DocenttX, Wikimedia commons.