Invitation

Invitation to the informal Meeting of EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters on the 20-21st May 15th of April 2025 Dear Colleague, On behalf of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, it is my great pleasure to invite you to the informal Meeting of EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters that will take place on the 20-21st of May 2025 in Warsaw. Discussion At the informal Meeting of Ministers we invite the delegations to discuss our joint policy issues, with a particular focus on highlighting the importance of the place-based approach. Recognising the need to preserve and strengthen the territorial dimension within EU, national and regional policies, we will reflect on possible ways to enhance the territorial sensitivity of policies adopted at different levels. It is of the utmost importance, especially in light of the challenges we are currently facing and the new EU priorities. During the Meeting the joint declaration of the Ministers of the three portfolios shall be adopted to indicate the possible solutions to tackle these challenges. The ministerial discussion will be introduced by a keynote speech delivered by Prof. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose. Moreover, the European Committee of the Regions will present its opinion ‘Cohesion policy as a key engine in achieving EU goals and reforms: how to further build on its performance- based approach while respecting decentralisation, partnership and multilevel governance’. Agenda The Meeting will convene on Wednesday, 21st of May at the Polish Army Museum at the Warsaw Citadel and is expected to conclude with lunch around 14.00 hrs. Prior to the meeting, on Tuesday, 20th of May we kindly invite you to join the welcome dinner proceeded by a cultural programme, which will start at 19.15 hrs at the Palace of Commonwealth, one of the most beautiful Baroque, aristocratic palaces in Warsaw. Registration The format of the meeting will be Head of Delegation + 2 for EU member states, the General Secretariat of the Council, the European Commission and non-EU member states. Head of Delegation + 1 format is applicable for the delegations representing organizations and institutions. We kindly invite you to confirm your participation no later than by the 6th of May 2025 via the online accreditation system. To this end, please send us the name and e-mail address of your Delegation Accreditation Officer (DAO) by the end of 23rd of April to: [email protected]. Please find enclosed the draft agenda for the Meeting and the Practical Information Note (PIN) with logistical details. We look forward to welcoming you to Warsaw, Yours sincerely, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska -Nałęcz /electronically signed/ INFORMAL MEETING OF EU MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR COHESION POLICY, TERRITORIAL COHESION AND URBAN MATTERS 20-21 MAY 2025 WARSAW, POLAND 1 The Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union welcomes you to Warsaw for the Informal Meeting of the EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters on 20-21 May 2025 and is pleased to provide the following practical information to help you prepare for the event. Please note that this Practical Information Note may be subject to change. Any changes to this information will be communicated in due course by the Presidency team. 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Deadlines............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Delegation format .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Registration and accreditation ................................................................................................................. 4 Preliminary programme ............................................................................................................................... 6 Meeting venue ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Interpretation................................................................................................................................................... 9 Transportation, airport arrivals and departures ............................................................................ 10 Accommodation ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Security ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 Media ................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Locations ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 General information ................................................................................................................................... 17 Presidency on internet .............................................................................................................................. 17 3 Deadlines When What Where to go / who to contact Appoint your Please send the name, phone Delegation 23 April 2025 number and e-mail of your DAO to: Accreditation Officer [email protected] (DAO) Register your Online accreditation platform 6 May 2025 delegation (the link will be sent directly to DAO) You will be contacted 19 May 2025 by your Liaison Officer Delegation format Delegations of EU member states, the General Secretariat of the Council, the European Commission and non-EU member states can enrol the Head of Delegation plus a maximum of two delegates (HoD+2). Head of Delegation plus one delegate (HoD+1) is applicable to the delegations representing organizations and institutions. Per request, and when applicable, one security officer per delegation will be accredited. Please also note that any official photographer, press secretary or interpreter must be registered as part of the regular delegation format. On request, the Polish Presidency will allocate additional place in the delegation format for the bilateral Ambassadors in Poland who must then be registered (via DAO) as a part of the delegation to access the meeting venues. Registration and accreditation For security reasons all members of the official delegations must be registered and accredited in order to access the meeting venues. Registration will be made via the online accreditation platform by the Delegation Accreditation Officer (DAO). 4 Accreditation information must be completed for each delegation member in line with the procedure set out on the online accreditation platform. Please send the name, mobile telephone number and email of your DAO to [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than 23 April 2025. For the DAO Once appointed, you will receive an e-mail containing log-in information as well as the link to the official Presidency accreditation platform. Please make sure you fill in all details correctly before submitting the registration. For more instructions on how to create an account on the official Presidency accreditation platform, please see the user guide in the top right-hand corner of the platform landing page. If you have any questions regarding your registration please send an email to: [email protected]. You are kindly requested to register your delegation as soon as possible and provide all the necessary information by 6 May 2025. All personal information provided during accreditation will be processed in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). More information about the private policy terms and conditions can be found on the accreditation platform. Badges PIN Heads of Delegation Allows access to all areas Allows access to the delegates’ Blue badge Delegates zone Two per delegation (non-personal, Allows access to the plenary Floater can be exchanged between room. delegation members) 5 Delegations will receive their PIN and badges from their Liaison Officer (LO). Please ensure that you visibly wear your badge or PIN at all times. The badges are non-transferable. After successful completion of the accreditation process, all participants will receive an e-mail confirming registration to the event. Please note that all participants are required to have their ID cards or passports with them so as to be able to confirm their identity. If you lose your badge, please report it immediately to the Presidency staff, your Liaison Officer or contact the Accreditation Desk. The validity of the lost badge will immediately be terminated and a new badge will be issued subject to the approval of the Presidency security team. Delegation Liaison Officers (LO) A Liaison Officer (LO) will be assigned to each delegation to assist and accompany the Head of Delegation throughout the event. The LO will: ✓ serve as a point of contact between the delegation and the organisers, ✓ assist the delegation with ensuring successful participation in the meeting, ✓ provide and distribute accreditation pins and badges upon arrival, ✓ provide logistical assistance and administrative support at the venue, ✓ reserve slots for bilateral meetings if requested. Delegations will receive their LO’s contact details in due course. If you have any questions regarding LOs, please contact [email protected]. Preliminary programme Please find below a summary of the preliminary programme indicating timeframe and formats for respective points. 6 Tuesday, 20 May Morning/Afternoon Transfer from the Warsaw Chopin Airport to the Radisson Collection Hotel 19:00 Group transfer from the hotel to the Palace of the Commonwealth for the cultural programme and the gala dinner (Heads of the Delegation) 19:15 Group transfer from the hotel to the Palace of the Commonwealth for the gala dinner (other members of the delegation) 19:15 –19:45 Tour of the Palace of the Commonwealth for Heads of the Delegation at the Palace of the Commonwealth 19:30 – 19:45 Aperitif for other members of the delegation 19:45 – 21:45 Gala dinner (1+2 and 1+1 format) Group transfer for all delegates to the Radisson Collection Hotel Wednesday, 21 May 08:00 – 09:00 Arrival to the Polish Army Museum Doorstep interviews, handshake 9:00 -10:00 WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS Katarzyna PEŁCZYŃSKA-NAŁĘCZ, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, European Commission, TBC KEYNOTE SPEECH 7  Andrés RODRÍGUEZ-POSE, Chair of the HLG on the Future of Cohesion Policy, London School of Economics 10:00 – 11:30 Working session (part 1) 11:30 – 12:00 Family Photo Coffee break 12:00 – 13:45 Working session (part 2) 13:45 – 14:00 Summary of the meeting 14:00 – 14:30 Press conference by the Polish Presidency and the European Commission 14:00 – 15:30 Buffet lunch for all members of the delegation 15:00 Transfer to the Warsaw Chopin Airport Meeting venue The Informal Meeting of the EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters will take place at two locations. The Polish Presidency will provide transportation between the hotel and the venues during the official programme of the meeting. Date Venue Address 20 May Palace of the Plac Krasińskich 3/5, Commonwealth Warsaw (Gala dinner) 21 May Polish Army Museum Plac Gwardii Pieszej Koronnej 4, Warsaw (Conference venue) 8 The main part of the Informal Meeting of the EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters will be held at the Polish Army Museum (PAM), a modern building located at the Warsaw Cytadel. At the venue, all necessary services (such as cloakrooms, luggage storage areas and internet access) and working facilities for delegations will be provided. Bilateral meeting rooms with a boardroom will be available upon the request. The Heads of Delegation have priority access to the rooms. The reservations will be coordinated by the Liaison Officers of the delegations concerned and available on the first come-first served basis. Refreshments (water) will be provided. Delegations are expected to provide their own interpreters if required. On request the Presidency will provide the official photographer. Interpretation Simultaneous interpretation will be provided by the Directorate General for the Interpretation of the EC (DG SCIC) in 6/6 regime. Interpretation will be provided from and into English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish (6/6). Please note that interpretation will not be provided during the gala dinner. Please inform us in advance if the Head of Delegation will be accompanied by private interpreter during the gala dinner. The press conference will be interpreted into Polish and English. Please send speeches, speaking points and other relevant meeting documents to [email protected] to help ensure high-quality interpretation. Please note that any accompanying interpreters must be registered as part of the official delegation in its regular format in order to have access to the meeting venue. The official SCIC team of interpreters will not interpret for any interventions made through the intermediary of an interpreter who is not accredited to work for the EU institutions. 9 Transportation, airport arrivals and departures Delegations are advised to make early arrangements for their flights to Warsaw Chopin Airport. Delegations arriving from the third countries must inform the Polish Presidency via [email protected] as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made to facilitate airport formalities and reception. Delegates arriving in Warsaw by a special aircraft must inform the Polish Presidency via [email protected] and the Diplomatic Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as soon as possible. Commercial flights Arrival After landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport Terminal 1, HoD +1 will be picked up by the airport VIP Line service and transferred to VIP Line lounge, where they will be greeted by the representatives of the Polish Presidency team and designated Liaison Officer. Remaining delegates are instructed to proceed along a typical arrival route to the meeting point located in the baggage claim area at the conveyor belt 1A. Please follow the information at the terminal carefully. The Polish Presidency team will be there to assist and merge the delegation for transfer. The Polish Presidency covers the VIP Lounge service at Warsaw Chopin Airport only for the Head of Delegation and an accompanying delegate. We would like to kindly request that you provide the name of the delegate who will be accompanying HoD in this service. It is necessary for us to complete the reservation process with the VIP Lounge. Please email [email protected] with this information. Assigned LO will accompany the delegation to the motorcade which will be waiting in front of the VIP terminal. Departure 10 Upon departure, the Head of Delegation and accompanying delegates will be transported by the Presidency fleet to Warsaw Chopin Airport Departures Terminal. The LO escorts the delegation through check-in and luggage drop-off (if needed) to the Fast Track service. After passing through the security check, the delegates are invited to use the “Fantazja” Executive Lounge at their convenience. Both services are applicable for Head of Delegation and accompanying delegates flying out together. Please be advised that the check-in for both the inbound and outbound flights must be carried out by the delegation itself, in accordance with the time frame indicated by the airline. Procedure for the arrival of special aircraft Permission for flight/landing of civil special aircrafts should be proceeded according to standard procedure. Embassies shall deliver a Diplomatic Note with a completed application to the Diplomatic Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via [email protected] no later than 10 days before the date of the planned arrival. Application must include following details for each member of the delegation: ✓ surname, name ✓ function ✓ passport no., date of issue, date of expiry ✓ date of birth, place of birth ✓ nationality. In order to obtain access to Warsaw Military Airport (a main airport for special aircrafts) for welcoming persons (for example Embassy staff including drivers) Embassies shall deliver via [email protected] the following details: ✓ surname, name ✓ function ✓ passport no., date of issue, date of expiry ✓ date of birth, place of birth ✓ nationality ✓ type of the car ✓ plate number of the car. 11 Transportation from the airport and between venues The Polish Presidency will arrange transfer with VIP limousines (for Heads of Delegations) and minivans (with five seats for the other members of the delegations) from Warsaw Chopin Airport to the hotel or to the venue, and back to the airport on departure. Delegates travelling separately from their Heads of Delegations are kindly requested to make their own travel arrangements. Warsaw Chopin Airport is accessible by trains and public bus routes, which connect to Warsaw’s main transport hubs and major hotels. For more details on public transport, please visit website: https://www.wtp.waw.pl/en/public-transport-step-by-step/. Taxis are conveniently located at designated stands directly in front of each Arrivals Hall exit. Warsaw Chopin Airport has partnered with local taxi companies to provide both fixed-fare and metered services. This means your fare will either be calculated by a taximeter based on distance or offered as a fixed price depending on your destination. For trips from Chopin Airport to the city center, expect to pay approximately €12 (PLN 50) for this short journey. The Polish Presidency will provide transportation between venues for all participants throughout the official programme. Those participating in events outside the official programme must make their own transportation arrangements. Accommodation The Polish Presidency has booked hotel rooms and will cover the costs for the Head of Delegation plus for one member of the delegation at the Radisson Collection Hotel (address: ul. Grzybowska 24, Warsaw) for one night (20-21 May). Breakfast is included but no provision will be made for any additional expenses (lunches, laundry service etc.), any additional nights that extend beyond the official meeting or any extra hotel rooms. If you need additional assistance, such as early check-in or late check-out, please contact our hotel operator at [email protected]. 12 For the rest of the delegation, hotel rooms have been pre-booked. To use these rooms delegates must complete the booking process and cover the relevant costs. The list of hotels and booking arrangements are available via link published in the accreditation platform under the hotel tab. Delegations are kindly requested to use appropriate links depending on the function in the delegation (Head of Delegation, +1 delegate, other delegate). Additionally, DAOs are kindly requested to send to the Presidency (via [email protected]) the information which delegate will use the room paid by the Presidency in the +1 format. Security Security zones designated by the Polish authorities will be accessible only to accredited vehicles and acredited individuals wearing a valid PIN or badge. For this reason, delegates and other accredited participants must wear a valid pin or badge visibly at all times. Weapon clearance Weapon clearance for the security detail of foreign delegation is issued by the Consuls of the Republic of Poland abroad. Interested party is obliged to address note verbale to the Consul of the Republic of Poland in respective country with the request to be granted weapon permission no later than five working days prior to planned visit to the Republic of Poland. It is necessary to present obtained weapon clearance (original document) upon arrival. In the note, it is necessary to provide following information for each security officer separately: ✓ security officer’s name and rank ✓ arrival/departure date and time ✓ means of transportation to/from Poland ✓ date and place of birth ✓ passport number and expiry date ✓ weapons (serial number, type, calibre, number of ammunitions). 13 Radio frequencies Interested party is obliged to file to the Diplomatic Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via [email protected] an official request to grant permission for radio frequencies for the purpose of communication between security officers of foreign delegation. Request shall be filed 10 days prior to planned visit to the Republic of Poland at the latest. Note verbale should include: ✓ information about radio equipment ✓ indicated radio frequency needed for communication. Media Press centre A media centre will be available for journalists at the conference venue. The press centre will be open on the day of the meeting (from 7 am until 3 hours after the end of the press conference). More information is available at https://poland25.eu. Host broadcaster The host broadcaster of the Presidency is the Polish public service broadcaster (Telewizja Polska, TVP). TVP will provide audiovisual content from informal ministerial meetings comprising: ✓ arrivals and doorsteps ✓ handshakes ✓ tours de table (introductions) ✓ family photos ✓ press conferences. This content will be available via the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) satellite network and Europe by Satellite (EbS). It will also be available from the media centre at the conference venue in Warsaw. For general inquiries, please send email to: [email protected]. 14 Photographs Photos from the meeting will be available in high-resolution format for free publication on the Presidency website: https://poland25.eu. Media contacts Persons responsible for media relations during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union can be found here. On general presidency matters, media representatives should write to: [email protected]. Locations The Informal Ministerial Meetings will be held at the Polish Army Museum at the Warsaw Citadel The Warsaw Citadel is a 19th century stronghold, which survived both World War I and II. Currently it is home to the Polish Army Museum as well as the Polish History Museum and the Katyń Museum. The new pavilion of the Polish Army Museum opened in 2023. It utilizes the latest technical capabilities and architectural solutions while simultaneously reflecting 15 historical forms and Polish military traditions. It recreates the layout of the king's guard barracks from the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The gala dinner for the Informal Meeting of the EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters will be held at the Palace of the Commonwealth in Warsaw. The Palace of the Commonwealth, constructed between 1688 and 1699 for the influential Krasiński family, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Designed by the renowned architect Tylman van Gameren, the Palace was, in the unanimous opinion of its contemporaries, one of the most beautiful aristocratic palaces in Warsaw. The interior design and elements of the facade were intended to refer to the fabled origins of the Krasiński family, descendants of the legendary Roman patrician Marcus Walerius Corvinus. Although it suffered extensive damage during World War II, it was meticulously reconstructed in the mid-20th century. Today, it serves as the home of the Special Collections of the National Library, preserving rare manuscripts, letters and books. 16 General information Emergency number: 112 (fire brigade, medical assistance, police) Electricity: The voltage in Poland is 230V, 50 Hz. Local time: Central European Summer Time Zone (CEST) – GMT +2:00 Country code: Poland +48 Currency: The official currency of Poland is the Polish zloty. The official daily exchange rate can be consulted at the National Bank of Poland’ website: https://nbp.pl/en/statistic-and-financial-reporting/rates/table-a/. Weather in Poland: https://meteo.imgw.pl/. Tap water: Polish tap water is regularly tested for quality and is safe to drink. Smoking: Smoking is allowed only in the designated areas of the official meeting spaces. Contact details Should you have any queries, please contact Polish Presidency team at [email protected]. Presidency on internet Website The website of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025 (https://www.poland25.eu) contains information on all topics related to the Presidency available in English. You can find a lot of useful information on: • institutional, political and cultural • the trio programme events held during the Polish • the cultural programme Presidency • calendar of events • latest news, press release • relevant contacts and links. • the priorities of the Polish Presidency 17 Social media All content related to the Polish Presidency will be available on social media accounts: • Instagram • Facebook • X (Twitter) • LinkedIn • Threads • Youtube • WhatsApp 18 Informal Meeting of Ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Urban Matters Warsaw, May 20th-21th, 2025 Agenda 20th of May GALA DINNER 19:30 – 21:45 Palace of the Commonwealth Plac Krasińskich 3/5, Warsaw 21st of May WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS 9:00 – 10:00 Katarzyna PEŁCZYŃSKA-NAŁĘCZ, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms European Commission, TBC KEYNOTE SPEECH Andrés RODRÍGUEZ-POSE, Chair of the HLG on the Future of Cohesion Policy, London School of Economics Working Session: PRESENTATION of the Opinion prepared by European Committee of Regions 10:00 – 11:30 European Committee of Regions INTRODUCTION to the discussion Polish Presidency INTERVENTION OF THE DELEGATIONS (part 1) (max. 3 min. each intervention) Open discussion: All participants 11:30 – 12:00 Coffee break and Family Photo Working Session: INTERVENTION OF THE DELEGATIONS (part 2) 12:00 – 13:45 (max. 3 min. each intervention) APPROVAL of the Declaration Katarzyna PEŁCZYŃSKA-NAŁĘCZ, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Open discussion: All participants 13:45 – 14:00 SUMMARY OF THE MEETING Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms European Commission, TBC Katarzyna PEŁCZYŃSKA-NAŁĘCZ, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy 14:00 Lunch Polska prezydencja w Radzie UE Polish presidency of the Council of the EU Présidence polonaise du Conseil de l'UE Saatja: "cohesion.presPL" <[email protected]> Saaja: "cohesion.presPL" <[email protected]>, "URBAN PRES PL" <[email protected]>, "territorial cohesion" <[email protected]> Teema: Invitation to the Informal meeting of Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters, 20-21 May 2025 in Warsaw. Kuupäev: 2025-04-18 08:21 Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, it is our great pleasure to invite you to the Informal meeting of Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters which will take place in Warsaw on May 20-21, 2025. Please find attached the official invitation, the agenda and Practical Information Note (PIN). The delegation format for EU member states, the General Secretariat of the Council, the European Commission and non-EU member states is Head of Delegation plus a maximum of two delegates (HoD+2). Head of Delegation + 1 format (HoD+1) is applicable for the delegations representing organizations and institutions. For all organizational matters of the IMM please contact: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]. Please send the name, phone number and e-mail of your Delegate Accreditation Officer (DAO) by 23rd April to the e-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . For any questions regarding the programme please contact: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . If you have any questions regarding participation of the same delegation in both OECD and IMM meetings (Ministerial meeting of the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee on 19-20 May and the Informal ministerial meeting of Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban matters on 20-21 May) please contact: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . With best regards, PL PRES Team Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy EU Affairs and International Cooperation Department <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] <http://www.gov.pl/web/fundusze-regiony> www.gov.pl/web/fundusze-regiony ul. Wspólna 2/4 00-926 Warszawa