WARSAW SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE II

The Framework Loan will support investments under the City of Warsaw's Multiannual Financial Framework 2023-2029, including the Urban Development Strategy #Warsaw2030 and Climate Strategies. All the schemes will be implemented within the City of Warsaw, located in the Mazowieckie Voivodship province.

The project covers, among others, urban development, regeneration, renewal with the new construction, refurbishment and upgrade of urban infrastructure, comprising public buildings (schools, health centres, nursing homes, sport, recreation and cultural facilities, etc.), open spaces and green areas. It also covers, among other sectors, flood protection, Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) investments, sustainable mobility, and modernisation of urban roads to include road safety and climate mitigation and adaptation measures.

This Project is a sub-operation under the UKRAINE SOLIDARITY PACKAGE - PROGRAMME EU MS (2022-0249). It provides co-financing to the municipal infrastructure investments driven primarily by the increased demand for municipal services and infrastructure due to a high number of Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw. This Project is structured as a Framework Loan (FL) to support the implementation of the investment programmes of Warsaw during the period 2023-2029 under the City's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including the Urban Development Strategy #Warsaw2030 and the City Climate Strategies. 

The Project is consistent with the EU Framework for Urban Development and Regeneration. It is also aligned with the EU Energy Performance of Building Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive . Furthermore, it is aligned with the goal of achieving the European Education Area by 2025. In addition, the Project supports the efforts from the European Commission and Member States in response to the Ukrainian conflict and the current refugee crisis.

The Project is also consistent with the EIB strategies and guidelines related to eligible sectors, including the Bank's Urban Lending Review, the Energy Lending Policy, and the Transport Lending Policy. The Project is aligned to the Climate Bank Roadmap and the EIB Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan. In this regard, the Project's contribution to the Bank's climate action and environmental sustainability objectives is estimated at approx. 21% of the total cost. The Project complies with a Significant Gender Tag, enabling women's access to economic opportunities, especially due to its focus on refugee-related infrastructure and services and the predominance of women and children among the refugee population.

This is the seventh municipal multi-sector Framework Loan done with the Municipality of Warsaw and the previous monitoring experience has been very good.

The Project will contribute to promoting progress toward multiple Sustainable Development Goals, the most significant one being the contribution to sustainable cities and communities.

The Project takes account of the long-term increased need for public services and infrastructure resulting from the approximately 10% population increase due to presence of displaced persons from Ukraine (mostly women and children).

The Project addresses a number of market failures and will bring important economic and social benefits, contributing to achieving a more integrated, sustainable, and inclusive development, improving the living conditions of the citizens and other people visiting or living in the city, as is currently the case of many Ukrainian refugees. Moreover, the Project will help alleviate the need for financing in Warsaw, contributing to increased infrastructure capacity, providing quality services, and continuing to fund temporary expenditures while the city transitions to a more long-term situation regarding the hosting of Refugees hosted in Warsaw.

The Bank's advice provided to this Project has contributed to the structuring of the operation to align it better with policy objectives and the eligibilities approved under the Ukraine Solidarity Package Programme EU Member States (2022- 0249) Programme Loan (PL). Furthermore, it has contributed to the structuring of the operation to be better aligned to the goals of the EIB CBR and to maximize the Project's contribution to the EIB CA&ES objectives. 

The promoter is deemed as having the adequate capacity to verify the compliance with the relevant EU Directives: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2014/52/EU (amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU), Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC, EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and EU Birds Directive 2009/147/EC. Furthermore, for new and refurbished buildings, the promoter is also deemed capable of ensuring the compliance with EU Directive 2010/31/EU on Energy Performance of Buildings. The project will contribute to the EIB's objectives linked to climate action and environmental sustainability (CA&ES).

The promoter is deemed to have adequate capacity to ensure that contracts for implementation of the Project will be tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation: Directive 2014/23/EU / 2014/24/EU / 2014/25/EU as well as Directive 92/13/EEC or Directive 89/665/EEC, as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required.