The East Poland House (DPW – Dom Polski Wschodniej) in Brussels was established on 2 December 2009 with a view to fostering cooperation and coordinating actions taken by five regional offices in Brussels. It brings together five Provinces located in East Poland: Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie, and Warmińsko-Mazurskie. These regions joined forces to launch an initiative, also known by the name East Poland House, and it includes the operations of
- the Lubelskie Province Regional Office,
- the Podkarpackie Province Regional Office,
- the Podlaskie Province Regional Office,
- the Świętokrzyskie Province Regional Office,
- and the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Province Regional Office.
Joint representation, through the synergy effect, allows a full exploitation of assets and chief development opportunities, including a joint investment potential of East Poland Provinces, and will facilitate collaboration in advancing shared interest as part of the European Union structures and counteracting common threats.
The tasks entrusted to the Regional Offices – representations of East Poland Provinces include:
- developing and maintaining a network of direct contacts with EU institutions, regional offices of other countries, representations of Polish and foreign entities and the media operating in Brussels,
- lobbying in European Union institutions for initiatives undertaken by Provinces brought together in the DPW,
- representing and promoting the assets and development opportunities of the East Poland macro-region,
- substantive support for local government administration of Provinces brought together in the DPW.
- acting as an intermediary in sourcing cross-regional cooperation partners,
- initiating and implementing joint actions as part of the DPW, and
- maintaining and fostering contacts with a view to strengthening bonds and nurturing the national identity of Poles living in Belgium.