Road to Recovery

The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the main instrument put forward by the European Union to address the post-pandemic recovery but also the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This is why we must ensure that this unprecedented tool of European solidarity is adequately implemented.
The Road to Recovery event in Lisbon aims at bringing together EPP local and regional representatives with EU decision makers to evaluate the implementation of the RRF in Portugal.
The success of the RRF depends on the adequate involvement of the local and regional level in its implementation and the EPP Group is committed to defending this principle.

Where will the billions of euros from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) be invested in Portugal? Is the RRF reaching families? Is it reaching Social Solidarity Institutions? Is it reaching businesses and SMEs?
The RRF reinforces the billions that Portugal has available, which should be well spent to improve competitiveness, cohesion and sustainability.
Portugal currently has 18.2 billion euros in the RRF until 2026.
It is fundamental that Member States involve the country's main actors: regional and local government, and civil society. And it is because it is so important that the EPP Group has decided to organise a ``Road to Recovery`` conference-debate in Lisbon on the opportunities that the RRF offers Portugal.
I count on everyone's participation!

The Recovery Resilience National Plan in Portugal has an estimated value of 18.2 billion euros. According to the data available, the execution rate in Portugal is only about 8%. The socialist government wasted the opportunity to design an efficient programme that could cope with the difficult circumstances of the post pandemic future and the war economy that Europe is facing. Local and regional authorities have been at the forefront of the pandemic response and their role will be crucial in the recovery efforts.

As EPP regional and local politicians, we are responsible and committed to ensure all levels of government work together on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. As we progress in the lifetime of the RRF, our EPP signature on the RRF needs to be achieving balanced reforms and investments, ensuring better access for LRAs to RRF funds and full transparency and parliamentary control, and utilising the untapped potential of the considerable financing that still remains. From my own experience in West Pomerania region, we have tried - in the context of waiting for the RRF to be launched in Poland - to make good use of the regionally available NextGenerationUE funds under ReactEU. We focused on strengthening the resilience of the regional health system, deciding to build an infectious diseases ward in the largest regional hospital. We also took action on energy transition.