Elżbieta Bieńkowska

Commissioner, Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission,

Since 1 November 2014 - EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs in the European Commission of Jean-Claude Juncker.

Between 2007 and 2013 she was the Minister for Regional Development of Poland and from 2013 to 2014, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Poland.

As the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Infrastructure and Development she was in charge of the strategic development system of the country, including the effective investment of the European funds.

Her work resulted in the full absorption of the EU funds from the budget for 2004-2006 and the successful distribution of almost EUR 68 billion granted to Poland for the years 2007-2013. She was managing the process of the preparation of the efficient EU funds implementation system from the EU budget for the years 2014-2020.

Apart from the European funds her tasks in the Polish Government included also the management of transport infrastructure (roads, railway, air traffic and ship transport) and issues related to construction and housing.

Before from 1999 to 2007 she was working for the local government of the Silesia Region in Southern Poland.

A graduate of the Jagiellonian University. She also graduated from the Polish National School of Public Administration and completed the business administration post graduate studies at the Warsaw School of Economics.

Married, with three children.

Featured work