Brussels, 22/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, and the Secretary of the Committee for European Integration of the Polish government, Jacek Saryuzsz-Wolski, signed in Lodz on Friday the financial protocols relating to the first three projects to be carried out in Poland with co-funding from the ISPA programme, EU pre-accession aid in the transport and environment fields. These three projects, which had received the approval of the ISPA management committee in June and July this year, may now be funded. Other projects are being developed and/or approved. "These projects are the outcome of an excellent partnership with the Polish authorities", commented Mr Barnier. "I am firmly convinced that they will help Poland in its preparation for joining the Union, as well as promoting economic and social cohesion in Europe before enlargement", said the Commissioner.
The three Polish projects in question concern:
ISPA, the pre-accession structural instrument, is intended to prepare candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe to respect Community norms relating to transport infrastructures and protection of the environment. The total ISPA budget is EUR 7.4 billion, for seven years (2000-2006) for all ten applicant CEEC. Poland will benefit from an indicative global amount of EUR 345 million by 2006. The rate of ISPA aid in a project may reach 75% of total public spending, and even 85% in some exceptional cases.