Poland can boast one of the fastest rates of economic growth in the entire European Union. Forecasts by the International Monetary Fund for 2026 are also optimistic: GDP growth is expected to be the second highest in the EU. Experts emphasise that such dynamic economic development would not have been possible without Poland’s accession to the EU. This, in turn, translates into a stronger political position for Poland within the Union.
“The outlook for the Polish economy and growth looks very good compared with other EU Member States. Poland benefits strongly from the single market and from the ability to supply various industrial sectors,” Marek Wąsiński, Head of the World Economy Team at the Polish Economic Institute, told Newseria.
According to data from the Polish Development Fund, citing Eurostat, the highest GDP growth in the European Union in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the same period of 2024 was recorded by Malta, at 6.4%. Cyprus ranked second, with growth of 4.5%. Poland came just behind, with GDP increasing by 3.6% year on year. According to International Monetary Fund forecasts for 2026, Poland’s growth rate is expected to reach 3.3%. Only Malta, at 3.7%, is expected to perform better.
“One of the strengths of the Polish economy is its diversity and the fact that we are not dependent on a single sector. The agri-food, automotive, electrical machinery and machinery industries are very important, so we have a highly diversified offer in terms of goods production. We also have a strong transport sector. We are a major player in logistics in the European Union, as well as in other services, including business-related services,” Wąsiński said. “Competitiveness and productivity remain our advantages.”
According to an analysis by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prepared on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of Poland’s accession to the European Union, the past two decades have brought a spectacular development leap for the Polish economy. During this period, it has more than doubled in size: cumulative GDP growth in Poland between 2003 and 2025 amounted to almost 130%, the highest in the EU, compared with an EU27 average of 34.5%. GDP per capita rose from less than 50% to more than 80% of the EU average. Poland has already overtaken Greece in this respect and, according to IMF forecasts, is expected to overtake Spain in 2026.
“According to the counterfactual scenario we prepared — that is, what would have happened if Poland had not joined the European Union — GDP per capita is now 42% higher than it would have been if we had not been in the EU for 21 years. I refer to 21 years because that is the period for which we have data in our exercise,” Wąsiński noted. “If we had not been in the Union, we would now be roughly at the level of income per capita from 2015, meaning around 10 years behind.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs analysis indicates that 58% of Poland’s economic growth after 2004 was the result of European Union membership. The EU single market played an important role in this, as it is 12 times larger than the domestic market in terms of population and 26 times larger in economic terms. Accession facilitated trade and international investment, while also improving institutional governance.
“The economic balance of membership is clearly very positive. This is mainly due to access to the single market, although there are of course other elements as well, including incoming European funds, which increased Poland’s potential within the single market and its ability to benefit from it,” the representative of the Polish Economic Institute explained.
According to the latest data from the International Monetary Fund, Germany has the largest GDP in the European Union, at USD 5.45 trillion. Poland, with GDP of USD 1.13 trillion, ranks behind countries including Spain, at USD 2.09 trillion, and the Netherlands, at USD 1.45 trillion.
Poland’s strong economic position and the size of the country also translate into political influence. At the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers adopted the Polish Foreign Policy Strategy for 2026–2030 in March this year. The document states that “Poland’s objective will be to make maximum use of EU membership to pursue national goals. However, we will conduct these activities not in the spirit of short-term, zero-sum egoism, but with long-term national and common interests in mind, the implementation of which requires the search for compromise.”
“How can we strengthen our position? We should be a credible partner for other countries and, in our decisions and policy, demonstrate that we also take the broader European interest into account. Every country pursues its own interests within the European Union, and that is natural, but countries that are able to think about the interests of Europe as a whole enjoy particular respect,” said Dariusz Rosati, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Member of the European Parliament.
He emphasised that Poland takes care of its own interests, but at the same time wants to strengthen the entire European Union in its relations with other global players.
“Over the past 22 years, the Union has changed a great deal. Above all, the Treaty of Lisbon was adopted, expanding EU competences and bringing in new areas such as energy and, to some extent, healthcare. That was a good direction, because it strengthened the European Union, and we want a strong Poland in a strong Union,” Rosati said.
The Treaty of Lisbon entered into force at the end of 2009. It extended the European Parliament’s full legislative powers to more than 40 new areas, such as agriculture, energy security, immigration, justice and EU funds, and placed it on an equal footing with the Council, which represents the governments of the Member States.
“After 22 years, this is a different Union from the one we joined. In my opinion, it is more efficient. Above all, it is able to face challenges that did not exist 20 years ago: climate challenges, an aggressive Russia, the migration crisis, organised crime and cybercrime. These are phenomena for which the Union should develop response tools,” the former Foreign Minister assessed. “The Union is still not efficient enough. I would like it to be an organism that acts faster, more smoothly and more effectively, but that requires the consent of all countries.”
The Polish Foreign Policy Strategy for 2026–2030 includes declarations that Poland, as an active Member State, will participate in the process of reforming and enlarging the European Union.
“Poland is now more visible in Brussels and more involved in the process of preparing legislation. In previous years, it was rare to see Polish diplomats moving through the corridors of the European Commission, monitoring what legal acts were being drafted and whether Poland’s interests were being taken into account,” Rosati emphasised. “For a country of our size, with specific policy instruments at its disposal, we are respected and appreciated by our partners.”
