The co-presidency marks an important moment for enhanced cooperation among European development finance institutions. BGK will focus on three key areas: developing co-financing opportunities for joint projects, strengthening regulatory dialogue with EU institutions, and building greater visibility and a coherent narrative around the role of European development banks in implementing the EU’s external action.

“Assuming the JEFIC Presidency is a clear sign that Poland and BGK are becoming active co-creators of Europe’s development finance architecture. At a time when the European Union is redefining the role of external financing instruments and partnerships with development banks, our priority will be to strengthen coordination, promote joint action and ensure that European development finance institutions speak with a strong and coherent voice,” said prof. Marta Postuła, First Vice President of the Management Board, BGK.

Speaking with a common voice ahead of the next EU budget

A particular priority will be to represent JEFIC’s common voice in the context of negotiations on the future EU budget for 2028–2034, where the role of external financing instruments and partnerships with development banks will be among the key issues. As public financial institutions, national development banks are uniquely positioned to combine public and private resources and support projects that could not be financed on purely commercial terms. This makes them among the most effective and flexible instruments for implementing EU policies beyond the Union’s borders.

As JEFIC co-president, BGK will be responsible for coordinating the common interests of institutions from Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Poland – AECID, AFD, CDP, KfW, and BGK – in financing development policy projects around the world. In practice, this means supporting joint positions towards EU institutions, contributing to the shaping of investment priorities, and strengthening the role of European development banks as key partners in delivering the EU’s external policy objectives.

Ukraine’s recovery as a shared priority

The announcement follows a high-level informal breakfast meeting convened by BGK on the margins of the 2026 Ukraine Recovery Conference, hosted by the City of Gdańsk in Poland. The meeting brought together JEFIC partners – AECID, AFD, BGK, CDP and KfW – to take stock of current efforts and identify strategic priorities for future cooperation.

The meeting in Gdańsk provided a platform to exchange lessons learned and discuss how to maximise the impact of ongoing and future investments supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction. Discussions focused on identifying the most effective and sustainable financing models implemented so far, as well as the key success factors behind them.