02.12.2021

ROMANIA HAS TAKEN AN ADVANCE OF 1.8 BILLION EUROS UNDER THE RECOVERY PLAN

The European Commission has paid 1.8 billion euros to Romania as advance funding under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.

This is 13% of the grant awarded, with which Bucharest can start implementing projects in the program. Romania is entitled to a total of 29.2 billion euros by 2024, of which 14.2 billion euros are grants and 14.9 billion are cheap loans. Its plan was approved by the European Commission on September 27, 2021.

In the coming years, Bucharest will spend 3.9 billion euros of money on a plan to modernize its railway infrastructure and purchase new zero-emission railcars and wagons; € 2.7 billion will be invested in renovating and seismically strengthening buildings; EUR 855 million is planned for the production of clean energy from renewable sources and hydrogen. The plan includes measures for biodiversity and environmental protection aimed at afforestation and the creation of nurseries for 1.1 billion euros.

€ 1.5 billion has been set aside for e-justice and digitalisation of the administration related to employment and social services, public procurement, cybersecurity and tax and customs authorities. They will build a protected state cloud infrastructure, and 8.5 million Romanians will receive electronic ID cards. The plan invests 470m euros in developing an integrated eHealth system connecting more than 25,000 healthcare providers and developing telemedicine systems. In addition, € 881 million will be allocated to the digitalisation of education, the improvement of digital pedagogical skills, educational content and equipment. Romania plans to invest 2 billion euros in European money to modernize its hospitals; EUR 3.9 billion is earmarked for the decarbonisation of transport and the improvement of road safety.

Bulgaria continues to negotiate with the European Commission on a draft € 6.6 billion grant plan, which it submitted to Brussels on October 15, 2021. The European Commission has two months to evaluate it before proposing it to member states for approval. If they do not vote by December 31, Bulgaria will not be able to benefit from advance funding for the programs and will be able to apply for funding next year.

The European Commission must give the green light to recovery plans in Hungary, Poland and Sweden. The Netherlands has not yet submitted its project to Brussels. All other members have already approved plans and most of them have received their advance payments. Spain filed a request in November for the first regular payment under the Recovery and Sustainability Mechanism after taking the advance in the summer.