Independent Review of Krakow Metropolitan Area 2030 Strategy

Bert Provan, Aleksandra Jadach-Sepiolo, Neil Lee, Max Herbertson and Kath Scanlon

Published 20 October 2023

This report was commissioned by the European Investment Bank to provide a review of the Krakow Metropolitan Area (KMA) Strategy 2030. The objectives were to review: How the strategic objectives in the KMA 2030 strategy, link to the Strategy of Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) for the Krakow Metropolitan Area for 2021-2027; - What evidence of need and opportunity is provided to support the choice of this objectives? How has work on this objective progressed so far in terms of implementation and action planning and is it logically linked to likely successful delivery of the objectives? What are the monitoring and evaluation plans for this objective? How does the objective and action planning so far fit with the relevant EU and other frameworks and guidance? The main areas of focus of the KMA strategy are Environment, Transport and mobility, Social Services, Education, Culture and Leisure, Economic development, and Smart Governance. The work also included providing three case studies which could provide useful lessons in relation to action planning and delivery of the objectives. These case studies were of Vienna, Copenhagen, and Barcelona. The two reports were presented at a workshop attended by KMA officials and representatives of 14 of the 15 communes which make up the KMA area. This included presentations from each of the case study cities. Overall the research found the Krakow Metropolitan Area strategy to have considerable strengths and be well focused on the stated objectives, with a range of robust implementation plans in place or in development. Areas of weakness were also highlighted and recommendations made about further possible actions.