POLISH NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE

The project finances research and development (R&D) projects procured on a competitive basis by the National Science Centre (NSC) in 2021-2023. NSC is headquartered in Krakow and finances excellent, early stage research projects carried out across all regions in Poland.

The project is consistent with the objectives of Horizon Europe and the European Research Area because the National Science Centre (NSC) is one of the main pillars of Poland's efforts to continuously improve the performance of its science system. Despite progress made over the past decade, Poland remains a moderate innovator and continues to score substantially below the EU average across important indicators such as public and private expenditure on R&D, the quality of scientific publications, the production of doctorate graduates and intellectual assets. By supporting about 10,000 new and ongoing research projects annually, NSC has a systemic impact and addresses some of the shortcomings of the Polish science system, in particular the lack of funding and career perspectives for excellent young as well as experienced researchers.

The Project finances R&D projects procured on a competitive basis by the National Science Centre. The Project addresses a clearly defined market failure. The Project supports fundamental R&D activities for which the markets fail to provide adequate funds because knowledge externalities prevent the full capture of returns.

The Project provides the Ministry of Education and Science with funding earmarked for basic research activities R&D activities to be procured by the NSC. The Bank's previous projects with the same Promoter have helped put the national science system on track to achieve higher levels of quality and responsiveness to economic demand.

Simultaneously, the EIB loan will enable the State to increase its financial flexibility and capacity to support R&D investments. 

The project concerns financing intangible basic and applied research activities and related costs including some research material and equipment. The included R&D activities will be carried out within existing facilities, making use of existing installation and within already authorised scope. Such activities create intangible (new knowledge and scientific discoveries), which do not fall under the Directive 2011/92 as amended by 2014/52/EU on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

The Bank will require the Promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been and will 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 publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.