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The European Commission recently (16 December 2022) endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Portugal's payment request for €1.8 billion of grants and loans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the key instrument at the heart of NextGenerationEU.

On 30 September 2022, Portugal submitted to the Commission a payment request based on the achievement of the 20 milestones and targets indicated in the Council Implementing Decision for the second instalment. They cover reforms in the areas of management of public hospitals and the digital transition in the private and public sectors.  Several milestones and targets also concern major investments in the areas of health, forestry, water management, social protection, innovation, sustainable mobility, digital skills, culture, public finances and public administration.

With their request, the Portuguese authorities provided detailed and comprehensive evidence demonstrating the fulfilment of the 20 milestones and targets. The Commission has thoroughly assessed this information before presenting its positive preliminary assessment of the payment request.

The Portuguese recovery and resilience plan includes a wide range of investment and reform measures in 20 thematic components. The plan will be supported by €15.5 billion in grants and €2.7 in loans, of which €2.2 billion was disbursed to Portugal in pre-financing on 3 August 2021 and €1.16 billion under the first payment request on 9 May 2022.

Payments under the RRF are performance-based and conditional on Member States implementing the investments and reforms outlined in their respective recovery and resilience plans.

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