Intensive work is ongoing on the urban development and research programmes under which Swiss funds will be distributed. The agreement signed today will allow us to mobilise the funds efficiently

- said Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, Deputy Minister.

On 5 December 2022, a Framework Agreement was concluded between the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Poland on the implementation of the second edition of the Swiss Financial Assistance in the area of cohesion in our country. The agreement signed today is another step towards the launch of the new allocation of Swiss funds.

Under the new edition of Swiss Funds, two programmes will be implemented in Poland. The Polish-Swiss Urban Development Programme with a budget of 278.7 million Swiss francs addressed to medium-sized towns losing their socio-economic functions. The Scientific Research and Innovation Programme, with a Swiss contribution of 35 million francs, aims to improve the quality of applied research in Poland by strengthening scientific and research cooperation between Poland and Switzerland.

I believe that the second edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme will further strengthen the existing excellent relations between our countries

- the Deputy Minister added.

The Technical Assistance Agreement regulates the use of two forms of assistance - the Technical Assistance Fund and the fund that finances the preparation of research and urban development programmes.

According to the agreement, Switzerland will provide Poland with the amount of 6.4 million Swiss francs, of which 4.8 million Swiss francs will be used to cover the costs of the Technical Assistance Fund which aims to ensure the smooth and efficient implementation of the SPCP. These include, for example, the costs of technical consultancy, translation, information events. The remaining 1.6 million Swiss francs will be allocated the preparation fund for both programmes.

In accordance with the provisions of the agreement, the Swiss party will cover up to 100 per cent of the eligible costs, which means that national co-financing is not required here.
The Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy acts as the National Co-ordinating Institution of the SPCP and will at the same time act as the Programme Operator for cities and as the Managing Authority for technical assistance.

Currently, both parties - Polish and Swiss - are working together on the details of two programmes to be implemented in Poland. The next step will be the signing of contracts for individual programmes. The first call for proposals under the SPCP is scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2023. It will be dedicated to local government units.

The first edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme covered the period 2007-2017. The programme ended on 14 June 2017, 10 years after the decision of the Swiss parliament to grant funds to Poland. 58 major projects and more than 1700 smaller projects received subsidies.