POLAND SCIENCE & RESEARCH NATIONAL CENTRES V

The project finances a broad range of research and development (R&D) activities procured on a competitive basis by two national agencies in 2019 and 2020. The National Science Centre (NSC) in Krakow finances excellent, early-stage research projects. The National Centre for Research and Development (NCRD) in Warsaw finances applied R&D projects and downstream innovation activities of strategic importance.

The project's objective is to support the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth as well as cohesion policy. The project should also improve Poland's capacity to contribute to the common European Research Area and the European Higher Education Area. It aims to achieve this by financing excellent basic research performed by public research entities as well as strategic applied research and development performed by public research entities in collaboration with the industry. Poland performs below EU average with regard to gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD), which stood at 1% in 2017 against an EU average of 2%. The project is an important element in Poland's effort to increase its gross domestic expenditure on R&D towards its national EU2020 target of 1.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020.

The operation finances intangible scientific activities financed by the National Science Centre and the National Centre for Research and Development. Due to the nature of the operation (mainly salaries of R&D staff), it does not fall under the Directive 2014/52/EU amending the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU. The Bank will verify during the appraisal the promoter's standards and principles in respect of environmental and social aspects, in particular the adherence to the relevant EU Directives. In addition, the potential share of financing dedicated for climate action research will be reviewed.

The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/shall be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2014/24/EU as well as Directive 89/665/EEC) as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with the publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.