NextGenerationEU: European Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Spain’s second payment request
The European Commission has (27 June 2022) endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Spain’s second payment request for €12 billion in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the key instrument at the heart of NextGenerationEU.
On 30 April 2022, Spain submitted to the Commission a payment request based on the achievement of the 40 milestones and targets laid out in the Council Implementing Decision for the second instalment. They cover investments and reforms in the areas of green and just transition, the labour market, pensions, regulated professions, digital connectivity and R&D. Other areas covered are healthcare, education, support to vulnerable groups, entrepreneurship and micro-enterprises, prevention of tax fraud and green taxation, as well as effective and sustainable public spending.
With their request, the Spanish authorities provided detailed and comprehensive evidence demonstrating the fulfilment of all the 40 milestones and targets. As required by the RRF Regulation, Spain has also confirmed that measures related to previously satisfactorily fulfilled milestones and targets have not been reversed. The Commission has thoroughly assessed this information before presenting its positive preliminary assessment of the payment request.
The recovery and resilience plan of Spain includes a wide range of investment and reform measures in 30 thematic components. The plan will be supported by €69.5 billion in grants, 13% of which (€9 billion) was disbursed to Spain in pre-financing on 17 August 2022. Moreover, a first payment worth €10 billion was disbursed to Spain on 27 December 2021.
Payments under the RRF are performance-based and contingent on Member States implementing the investments and reforms outlined in their respective recovery and resilience plans.
Next steps
The Commission has now sent its positive preliminary assessment of Spain’s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this second payment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), asking for its opinion.
The EFC’s opinion, to be delivered within a maximum of four weeks, should be taken into account in the Commission’s assessment. Following the EFC’s opinion, the Commission will adopt the final decision on the disbursement of the financial contribution, in accordance with the examination procedure, through a comitology committee. Following the adoption of the decision by the Commission, the disbursement to Spain can take place.
The Commission will assess further payment requests by Spain based on the fulfilment of the milestones and targets outlined in the Council Implementing Decision, reflecting progress on the implementation of the investments and reforms.
