The EU will invest EUR 12.9 billion in ESF+ funds in Poland to strengthen crucial social services and to help people improve their skills and find jobs. ESF+ employment and social measures will have a particular focus on the participation of women in the labour market by the provision of childcare services.  

The fund will also promote social inclusion by improving the quality of and access to social assistance and healthcare services. An important objective is to support long-term care services for older people and people with disabilities, primary health care and mental health services. The ESF+ in Poland will also support the integration of third-country nationals and Roma.   

Dedicated measures will help to increase civil society organisations' and social partners' capacities, which is essential to a healthy social market economy, thereby responding to the Country-Specific Recommendations. 

These ESF+ investments will support Poland to achieve its 2030 targets under the European Pillar of Social Rights by raising the employment rate to 74.7%, the adult participation in education and training to 17.4% and by reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by over 2.5 million people. 

The ESF+ is implemented in Poland through 16 regional programmes (one for each Voivodeship in Poland) and two national programmes - European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 and European Funds for Food Aid 2021-2027. The regional programmes include resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with five programmes also incorporating the Just Transition Fund (JTF).