EIB President Announces €300M Investment in Poland's First Satellite Programme

President Calviño and Prime Minister Tusk announced the launch of Poland’s first satellite programme, financed through a €300 million loan from the EIB, signed with Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK).

Today, European Investment Bank (EIB) Group President Nadia Calviño met with Poland's political leaders to discuss strategic priorities for future financing and to announce the country's first satellite programme. During her visit, President Calviño engaged in discussions with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski, and Finance Minister Andrzej Domański on how the EIB Group can bolster Poland’s national policy objectives through strategic investments. Topics included growth-enhancing investments, measures to strengthen Europe’s security and defence industry, and significant financing for Poland’s energy security and green transition.

President Calviño and Prime Minister Tusk announced the launch of Poland’s first satellite programme, financed through a €300 million loan from the EIB, signed with Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK). Supported by the EIB’s Strategic European Security Initiative, this project aims to fortify the European space industry using advanced Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology for both civilian and defence purposes. The announcement follows the recent approval by EU member states of the EIB Group Action Plan to boost investment in the EU’s security and defence sector.

Elevating the EIB Group’s support to secure Europe’s peace and security is a primary strategic priority detailed in the EIB’s Strategic Roadmap.

President Calviño remarked, “I just had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Tusk, where we have confirmed that our priorities are fully aligned. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the EU, and I would like to congratulate you, and Prime Minister Tusk in particular, on this extraordinary journey. I am impressed by how Poland has changed and developed over these two decades. Poland is a great success story. A bright example of the benefits of EU membership. And I am proud that the European Investment Bank Group has been a key actor contributing to that great success. The Group has invested close to 100 billion euros in Poland.”

She added, “Today, we are also announcing another flagship investment project in Poland. I am really glad to announce with Prime Minister Tusk and our partners at the BGK Bank, that the EIB Group will invest 300 million euros in Poland’s first earth observation satellite system, which will support a number of initiatives for dual, civil and security use.

It follows the launch of the EIB Group’s new Action Plan to step up our support for Europe’s security and defence industry. I am very pleased that the first operation since we launched this Action Plan is signed here in Poland.”

Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted the critical role of the EIB, stating, “The role of the European Investment Bank cannot be overestimated. Today we signed an agreement supporting the Polish satellite program. We are talking about EUR 300 million here, a truly significant amount, thanks to which our plan to build satellite monitoring over Poland and Europe has again moved one step forward. Satellite systems and reconnaissance systems will be an essential part of this project, which I will like to present together with other European Prime Ministers in a few days. We will present it to this and the future European Commission, this and the future European Council, so that the idea of pan-European air defense becomes less and less a dream and more and more a real, practical plan.”

This significant collaboration marks a milestone in Poland’s space and defence capabilities, demonstrating a robust partnership between the EIB Group and Poland in advancing technological and security initiatives.