Inaugurated on 13 October 2023, the programme is a continuation of the cooperation between Poland and Switzerland implemented in the first edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation
Programme from 2007 to 2017. 

The agreements we signed today will contribute to the further development and increased competitiveness of the Polish science and economy. Financial support will also be provided to accelerate the development of medium-sized towns and cities, which will have a positive impact on reducing disparities between the regions of Poland

– said Deputy Minister for Funds and Regional Policy, Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak.

Support for medium-sized towns and cities

Under the second edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme, Poland will receive more than PLN 1.3 billion (CHF 313.7 million) for the implementation of two programmes: 

• Urban Development Programme, which received the bulk of Switzerland’s contribution of CHF 278.7 million (plus an additional CHF 49.182 million of Poland’s contribution, i.e. a total of CHF 327.882 million). With this funding, medium-sized towns and cities will be able to implement projects that will reduce unemployment, increase public safety, as well as investments in areas such as:

1. energy efficiency,
2. public transport,
3. water and wastewater management,
4. waste management,
5. environmental protection,
6. health care,
7. vocational training,
8. security,
9. social integration.

• Research and Innovation Programme with a total budget of CHF 41.176 million Swiss francs (including CHF 35 million of Swiss contribution and an additional CHF 6.176 million of Polish contribution). The programme will strengthen the relationship of the Polish research and innovation communities with leading R&D entities in Switzerland. It aims to improve the quality of applied research in Poland by strengthening scientific and research cooperation between our country and Switzerland. Research centres will also be able to apply for funding for the internationalisation of basic research, where multilateral cooperation is envisaged. The planned call for multilateral joint research projects will be open to entities from Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Hungary, which will form partnerships with Swiss entities.

I believe that constructive cooperation between Polish and Swiss actors will make an important contribution to the further development of scientific research. It will concern not only the capacity building of scientific staff, institutional development of research actors, but also their undertaking and development of cooperation with national and foreign partners. We hope to strengthen the transfer of research results into the economy and thus create a more competitive and dynamic economy

– stressed the deputy head of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. 

We assume that the first calls from both programmes will start in Q4 2023 and H1 2024.

Continuation of the Polish-Swiss cooperation

On 5 December 2022, the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, Grzegorz Puda, signed in Warsaw the Framework Agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Poland on the implementation in Poland of the second edition of the Swiss Financial Assistance in the area of cohesion. It was focused on the establishment of the second edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme consisting of the Urban Development Programme and the Research and Innovation Programme.

Under the second edition of the so-called Swiss Funds, which runs from 2022 to 2029, Switzerland declared financial assistance of CHF 1.3 billion to 13 selected EU member states, including Poland. The aim of the support is to reduce socio-economic disparities within the European Union. The majority of the funds, namely CHF 1.102 billion, will be allocated to the cohesion objectives.