Poland has had to come a long way to reach the place where we are now. There is little doubt that Poland's membership in the European Union is a net positive for our country.

“We became a part of Europe in the broadest sense of the word. I do not mean geography. What I mean is Polish security, better lives for Polish citizens that improve with each passing year, despite the various twists and turns. I mean fundamental values - freedom, human dignity and the rule of law. We are Europe," Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed in one of his speeches.

We no longer need to look to the West with envy - we are now a part of it. Poland is no longer standing on the sidelines. We have a real impact on the shape of the European Union and its policies.

– Poland has become the heart of Europe, and since 15 October the whole world has been looking at us with pride - sometimes even envy - that Poland has succeeded in confirming that it is a part of the West,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk pointed out.

Poland’s membership in the European Union has led to an increase in the country’s security in a number of areas. This concerns military security, as well as energy, food and economic aspects. All of these aspects are increasingly important in the light of a war of aggression triggered across our eastern border by Russia.

Never before in history has the security and future of Europe depended on Poland to such a large extent. The situation is serious and the European Union must be prepared for any scenario. As Europeans, we should realise that peace cannot be taken for granted and that it is not a given.

“The world is standing at the edge of a precipice. We all know our roles and we all know who is on which side. Our work in the European Union will focus on correcting the European paradigm, which assumed that there would be no war and that we could count on the protection of the United States," the Polish Prime Minister spoke to European politicians.

The upcoming European Parliament elections are a crucial moment for Poland and the European Union as a whole, deciding their future. On 9 June, citizens will set the new course for the European Union. Our choice will have a real impact on our daily life and our security. Even though Poles are not forced to fight on the frontlines, Donald Tusk claims that if one wants peace, they need to get ready for the elections. We need to ensure that the European community and NATO are not undermined and destabilised - both from outside and from within.

The European Union has become an everyday reality for most people - some would be hard-pressed to imagine Poland without the projects and funds that have transformed our reality over the last 20 years. We can experience them in our daily lives thanks to repaired local roads, new trains shortening our daily commutes and better conditions at schools. All of this became possible thanks to EU funding. Even after deducting our contributions to the EU, Poland has gained more than €163 billion, or around 700 billion PLN.

The restoration of the rule of law and effective action is bearing fruit. Poland has recently received the largest single transfer in the history of its membership in the European Union, totalling 27 billion PLN. Poland will invest these funds in ensuring high-speed broadband internet access, improved transportation system and new nurseries. In total, Poland is slated to receive €137 billion, or about 600 billion PLN.

The growth of the Polish economy can be seen in concrete data. In the period from 2003 to 2022, Poland's cumulative GDP more than doubled, growing by 109%. At the same time, nominal GDP increased from €206 billion to €751 billion and GDP per capita went up from €5,400 in 2004 to €19,920 in 2023.

We also saw an almost sixfold increase in exports, from €60 billion to €350 billion. Our unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the EU. Over the years it has fallen from 19% to 3%. We are also systematically catching up in terms of income gap between Poland and Western Europe. In 2022, Poland has overtaken Greece and Portugal in terms of GDP per capita at purchasing power parity.

Being a part of the European Union made Poland a safer bet for foreign investors. By the end of 2022, total foreign direct investment in Poland amounted to €251.6 billion, 86% of which came from other EU Member States.

In contrast, between 1993 and 2003, the average annual direct foreign investment amounted to €4 billion. This figure has nearly quadrupled to €15 billion between 2004 and 2022. Foreign direct investment has contributed to an increase in employment, labour productivity and Poland's foreign trade.

Being a part of the EU is not just a privilege, but also a responsibility, as well as the need to face challenges together, as one. One of these challenges is effective border control. In many conversations with our partners in Europe, Donald Tusk explains why the migration pact is unacceptable to Poland in the current shape, which was approved by the European Parliament.

“We will see what the final version of the migration pact will look like, but I can say for certain that the relocation mechanism and compensation for refusing migrants will not apply to Poland . . .  I want to reassure everyone about that. Even if the pact comes into force, we will find a way to exclude Poland from the relocation mechanism,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed.

Another challenge facing the EU is the European Green Deal and its impact on the European farmers, as well as their interests. For the time being, we have managed to suggest changes to the provisions of the Green Deal. As a result, farmers will be exempted from some environmental requirements and administrative burdens.