Rearrangements of NUTS 2 regions in Poland for the purpose of EU Cohesion Policy: possibilities, expectations and controversy

Type of region	GDP/pc criterion	Number of regions	Allocated share of resources for the CP	Maximum level of EU co-financing
Less developed	below 75% of EU average	78	59.8%	85%
Transition	between 75% and 100% of EU average	67	14.2%	60%
More developed	above 100% of EU average	95	8.1%	40%

[i] Source: own calculations based on Regulation 2021/1130, Regulation 2021/1060, Directorate-General for EU regional and urban policy (2025)

Table 2.

Model of initial individual allocations of EU Cohesion Policy funds (per capita per year, in EUR)

	More developed region	Transition region		Less developed region
Country's GNI/pc of EU avg.	Fixed support (100% of EU avg. < GDP/pc)	Max. support (GDP/pc = 75% of EU avg.)	GDP/pc growth by 1%	Min. support (GDP/pc = 74% of EU avg.)	GDP/pc decrease by 1%
< 82%	15.20^(a)	121.13	−4.85	209.96	+8.08
82–99%	15.20^(a)	53.13	−2.13	92.08	+3.54
> 99%	15.20^(a)	31.88	−1.28	55.26	+2.13

Notes: GNI/pc means Gross National Income per capita in purchasing power standards GDP/pc means Gross Domestic Product per capita in purchasing power standards

(a) Average value for more developed regions

Source: Zdražil & Kraftova (2023)

Classification of Polish regions (2021–2027 vs. 2028+ Cohesion Policy programming period)
Notes: see Table 4 for region codes
Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a)

Table 3.

Situation of Polish regions in EU Cohesion Policy: programming period 2021–2027 vs. 2028+

	2021–2027 programming period		2028+ programming period (estimated)
Type of region	Number of regions	Population share	Number of regions	Population share
Less developed	14	75.2%	10–12	43.6–56.0%
Transition	2	16.7%	4–6	34.9–47.3%
More developed	1	8.1%	1	9.1%

[i] Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a)

Table 4.

Application of the model of individual allocations of Cohesion Policy funds – current arrangement and projection

Region		Allocation of funds (per capita per year, in EUR)		Allocation of funds (total, in billion EUR)
Code	Name	2021–2027	2028+	2021–2027	2028+
PL21	Małopolskie	312.3	254.4	7.5	6.1
PL22	Śląskie	236.9	92.0	7.4	2.8
PL41	Wielkopolskie	119.5	89.6	2.9	2.2
PL42	Zachodniopomorskie	344.6	302.9	4.1	3.5
PL43	Lubuskie	350.0	306.9	2.5	2.1
PL51	Dolnośląskie	113.0	79.9	2.3	1.6
PL52	Opolskie	368.9	306.9	2.5	2.0
PL61	Kujawsko-pomorskie	360.8	302.9	5.2	4.2
PL62	Warmińsko-mazurskie	420.0	371.6	4.1	3.4
PL63	Pomorskie	277.3	118.7	4.6	2.0
PL71	Łódzkie	293.5	222.1	5.0	3.6
PL72	Świętokrzyskie	412.0	351.4	3.5	2.8
PL81	Lubelskie	428.1	379.6	6.3	5.3
PL82	Podkarpackie	425.4	371.6	6.3	5.2
PL84	Podlaskie	414.7	327.1	3.4	2.5
PL91	Warszawski stołeczny	15.2	15.2	0.3	0.4
PL92	Mazowiecki regionalny	333.9	234.2	5.4	3.7
	Poland			73.2^(a)	53.2

[i] Note: ^(a) the model does not include individual bonus payments; in total, EUR 75 billion was allocated to Polish regions for the 2021–2027 programming period

[ii] Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a) and Zdražil and Kraftova (2023)

Classification of NUTS 2 units in two new possible arrangements
Note: see Table 6 for composition details
Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a)

Table 5.

Type of regions in Poland for 2028+ programming period (comparison of arrangements)

Type of region	Current probable arrangement		New arrangement
	Number of regions	Population share	Number of regions		Population share
	Number of regions	Population share	A	B	A	B
Less developed	10–12	43.6–56.0%	17	16	69.7%	65.7%
Transition	4–6	34.9–47.3%	2	4	7.2%	15.2%
More developed	1	9.1%	6	4	23.1%	19.1%

[i] Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a)

Table 6.

Possible arrangement of Polish NUTS 2 regions – composition and key facts

Current				New arrangement
Code	GDP (%)	Pop. (%)	Alloc. of funds (bn EUR)		Code	Composition (of NUTS 3)	GDP (%)	Pop. (%)	Alloc. of funds (bn EUR)	Alloc. change (%)
PL21	70	9.0	6.1	A	PL23	PL213	134	2.2	0.1	+19.3
				A	PL24	PL214+PL217+PL218+PL219+PL21A	52	6.9	7.1	+19.3
				B	PL23	PL213+PL214	91	4.2	0.5	−7.0^(c)
				B	PL24	PL217+PL218+PL219+PL21A	51	4.8	5.1	−7.0^(c)
PL22	81	11.5	2.8	A,B	PL25	PL229+PL22A	106	3.0	0.1	+53.9
					PL26	PL224+PL228+PL22B	67	4.1	3.0
					PL27	PL225+PL227+PL22C	79	4.4	1.2
PL41	82	9.4	2.2	A,B	PL44	PL415+PL418	112	3.4	0.1	+118.2
PL41	82	9.4	2.2	A,B	PL45	PL411+PL414+ PL416+PL417	64	5.9	4.7	+118.2
PL42	64	4.3	3.5			no change^(a)	64	4.3	3.5	0
PL43	63	2.6	2.1			no change^(a)	63	2.6	2.1	0
PL51	84	7.8	1.6	A,B	PL53	PL514+PL518	103	3.6	0.1	+87.6
PL51	84	7.8	1.6	A,B	PL54	PL515+PL516+PL517	68	4.1	2.9	+87.6
PL52	63	2.4	2.0			no change^(a)	63	2.4	2.0	0
PL61	64	5.2	4.2			no change^(b)	64	5.2	4.2	0
PL62	55	3.5	3.4			no change^(a)	55	3.5	3.4	0
PL63	76	6.3	2.0	A	PL64	PL633	126	2.0	0.1	+124.3
				A	PL65	PL634+PL636+PL637+PL638	53	4.2	4.3	+124.3
				B	PL64	PL633+PL634	91	3.7	0.4	+44.9
				B	PL65	PL636+PL637+PL638	56	2.5	2.4	+44.9
PL71	74	6.4	3.6	A,B	PL73	PL711+PL712	85	2.8	0.6	−6.6^(d)
PL71	74	6.4	3.6	A,B	PL74	PL713+PL714+PL715	65	3.5	2.8	−6.6^(d)
PL72	58	3.0	2.8			no change^(a)	58	3.0	2.8	0
PL81	54	5.3	5.3			no change^(b)	54	5.3	5.3	0
PL82	55	5.3	5.2			no change^(b)	55	5.3	5.2	0
PL84	61	2.9	2.5			no change^(a)	61	2.9	2.5	0
PL91 & PL92	154 72	9.1 6.0	0.4 3.7	A	PL93	PL911+PL913+PL923+PL926	165	8.8	0.4	+49.2
					PL94	PL912+PL922+PL924	61	3.7	3.3
					PL95	PL921+PL925	57	2.6	2.4
				B	PL91	no change^(e)	154	9.1	0.4	0
				B	PL92	no change^(e)	72	6.0	3.7	0
Poland			53.2	A	Poland				64.0	+20.3
Poland			53.2	B	Poland				58.9	+10.7

{ label (or @symbol) needed for fn[@id='j_mgrsd-2025-0050_tfn_009'] } Notes: ^(a) the existing NUTS 3 regions cannot be used to make any changes in accordance with Regulation 1059/2003;

(b) splitting is not efficient – it would result in a decrease in allocation of funds;

(d) if PL71 were classified as a transition region (based on GDP/pc), the maximum allocation would be EUR 2.1 billion; the new arrangement of the region would, therefore, lead to a decrease in the allocation by 40%;

(e) leaving the arrangement as is (fixed in 2018).

Minor discrepancies are due to rounding.

Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a).

Region		GDP/pc (as % of EU average)		Population share (in %)
Name	Code	2015–2017^(a)	2022–2023^(b)	2023
Malopolskie	PL21	62	70	9.0
Slaskie	PL22	72	81**	11.5
Wielkopolskie	PL41	75**	82**	9.4
Zachodniopomorskie	PL42	58	64	4.3
Lubuskie	PL43	58	63	2.6
Dolnoslaskie	PL51	77**	84**	7.8
Opolskie	PL52	55	63	2.4
Kujawsko-pomorskie	PL61	56	64	5.2
Warmiñsko-mazurskie	PL62	49	55	3.5
Pomorskie	PL63	67	76**	6.3
Lodzkie	PL71	65	74*	6.4
Swietokrzyskie	PL72	50	58	3.0
Lubelskie	PL81	48	54	5.3
Podkarpackie	PL82	48	55	5.3
Podlaskie	PL84	50	61	2.9
Warszawski stoleczny	PL91	149***	154***	9.1
Mazowiecki regionalny	PL92	60	72*	6.0

{ label (or @symbol) needed for fn[@id='j_mgrsd-2025-0050_tfn_016'] } Notes: ^(a) the average GDP/pc of 2015–2017 Cohesion Policy programming period (Regulation 2021/1060);

(b) latest data available (as of Q1, 2025);

* close to the 75% threshold; also, a ‘transition’ region in the pessimistic scenario;

** ‘transition’ region;

*** ‘more developed’ region.

Source: own calculations based on Eurostat (2025a).

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2025-0050 | Journal eISSN: 2084-6118 | Journal ISSN: 0867-6046 (formerly 2084-6118)

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Language: English

Submitted on: May 6, 2025

Accepted on: Nov 6, 2025

Published on: Jul 20, 2026

Published by: Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

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© 2026 Pavel Zdražil, Wojciech Dyba, published by Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Rearrangements of NUTS 2 regions in Poland for the purpose of EU Cohesion Policy: possibilities, expectations and controversy

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