Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play

Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) embodies an ambitious agenda of reforms and investment aimed at mitigating the socio economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. The total cost of the plan amounts to €29.2 billion, or 13.1 % of the country's 2019 gross domestic product (GDP). This allocation, corresponding to 4 % of the total volume of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), comes with €14.2 billion in grants and €14.9 billion in loans. In June 2022, Romania's grant allocation was revised downwards by €2.1 billion to €12.1 billion (-14.9 %). The measures in the plan also aim to facilitate the country's green and digital transition, as well as focusing on youth by enhancing the education sector, another major objective of the NRRP with a 12.4 % share of the total RRF allocation. The plan is to be implemented by 2026. Romania has so far received €9.1 billion, including €3.8 billion in pre-financing (13 % of its initial grant and loan allocation). The European Commission disbursed the first payment, of €2.6 billion, in October 2022. In September 2023, the Commission paid out the bulk (€2.8 billion in grants and loans) of the second payment request, while suspending part of it (€53.4 million in loans). According to the Commission's assessment in the 2023 European Semester, the implementation of the NRRP is under way, albeit with rising risk of delays. On 8 September 2023, Romania submitted to the Commission a request to amend its NRRP, including a new REPowerEU chapter with eight additional measures and a reinforced existing one. The Commission is currently assessing the revised plan. The European Parliament continues to guarantee transparency and provide accountability for EU citizens by engaging in interinstitutional dialogues on the implementation of the RRF and scrutinising the Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.