This case study on Warsaw is part of the annexes of the ESPON URDICO final report, examining how EU Cohesion Policy is implemented in the Warsaw Metropolis, including the city of Warsaw and surrounding municipalities. It explores institutional arrangements, administrative capacity, multi-level governance, and territorial coordination across local, metropolitan, regional, national, and EU levels.

The case study highlights Warsaw’s governance complexity, the role of EU funding instruments, and the integration of metropolitan priorities into regional and national strategies. It identifies operational challenges, including fragmented decision-making, regulatory complexity, and limited metropolitan coordination, while showcasing innovations in strategic planning, inter-municipal cooperation, and project delivery.