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- Business Secretary met senior Polish ministers who heard more about how the government is rolling out its modern Industrial Strategy.
- UK and Poland agreed to work more closely on developing economies fit for the future, with science and innovation at their heart.
- Both governments agree to develop clean energy solutions to take advantage of the transition to a low carbon economy.
Business Secretary Greg Clark has travelled to Poland to meet senior ministers to discuss the governments ambitious Industrial Strategy and to build on UK and Polish efforts to develop a more strategic partnership.
During his visit, the Secretary of State discussed a range of issues, including the UKs Industrial Strategy, UK-Polish co-operation on climate-friendly clean energy solutions, and science and innovation.
As part of the UK and Polands commitment to work together more closely on developing competitive economies, the UK announced that 2018 will be a UK-Polish Year of Entrepreneurship, Science and Innovation. This will include a UK-Poland Science Forum in September 2018, a joint-research workshop series, and developing the Warsaw-London Bridge start-up collaboration programme to bring together start-ups and potential investors in the UK and Poland.
After the visit, Business Secretary Greg Clark said:
Our ambitious Industrial Strategy puts research and innovation at its heart and the 2018 UK-Polish Year of Entrepreneurship, Science and Innovation will help us build on our great strengths in this vital sector.
Poland is an important partner in building the conditions for growth and innovation, and the government is keen to strengthen our co-operation both now and in the future. Working together on clean energy solutions, science and entrepreneurship, we will help to create prosperous, ambitious economies in both Poland and the here in UK.
As part of his visit, the Business Secretary took the opportunity to discuss the UKs Industrial Strategy at a round-table event involving several top business representatives. The governments ambitious vision for the future, laying out how the UK plans to tackle the productivity challenge, earn our way in the future and improve living standards, was showcased to Polish NGOs, CEOs of big businesses and heads of business federations.
Further building on the growing links in science, education and research, the UK and Poland agreed to a Clean Growth Dialogue to develop climate-friendly clean energy solutions. This dialogue will include:
- The development of nuclear technologies, with a focus on potential joint funding for research and development of high temperature nuclear reactors and the launch of a workshop to coordinate Co-operation on Small modular Reactors (SMRs) and a Nuclear Energy Solutions Forum;
- Continued dialogue on EU Energy Policy to build on the excellent co-operation already shared by the UK and Poland; and
- Joint projects to develop Smart Energy and strategies to tackle climate change in the run up to COP24 next year, hosted by Poland.