24.11.2021

HOW MUCH DOES THE EU GIVE US TO DEAL WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC?

For the next year, Bulgaria receives 139,651,309 euros from the EU budget under the fund intended for overcoming the consequences of the pandemic. This is shown by data presented today by the European Commission.

The EC is allocating about 11 billion euros at current prices to EU countries, and the funds will be used for economic recovery measures, to improve health systems, to support the most vulnerable groups. The Commission expects the funds to be channeled in favor of digitalisation and the transition to a green economy.

The funds are allocated in two parts, taking into account the impact of the pandemic, the commission said in a statement. The distribution is based on data on GDP, unemployment and youth unemployment in individual countries.

The Commission notes that in Bulgaria, staff fighting the pandemic on the front lines have received additional remuneration from the budget, and the elderly and people with disabilities receive health and social services at home. The EU has set up a budget fund with additional funding of 50.6 billion euros to be used by the end of 2023.

The purpose of the fund is to help the economic and social recovery from the pandemic by encouraging the effects of the crisis and the resilience of health systems, businesses and support for the most vulnerable groups.

For this year, the fund has about 40 billion euros and over 90 percent of these funds are allocated for investment programs. The funding was used as a bridge between the emergency measures taken at the beginning of the crisis and overcoming the long-term effects of the pandemic, the EC explained.