Positive preliminary assessment of Slovenia’s request for €541 million disbursement under the Recovery and Resilience Facility
The Commission has today endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Slovenia’s payment request for €231 million in grants (net of pre-financing) and €310 million in loans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the key instrument at the heart of NextGenerationEU.
On 15 September 2023, Slovenia submitted to the Commission a payment request based on the achievement of the 41 milestones and three targets selected in the Council Implementing Decision for its second payment request. This included the second and third grant instalment and the first loan instalment.
A set of transformative reforms is included. The new Flood Risk Management Plan addresses one of the most relevant climate change risks in Slovenia. Other reforms aim to promote the use of renewable energy, and of alternative fuels in transport, and provide a new framework for public passenger transport. The adoption of a broadband plan supports Slovenia’s digital transformation path, as well as reforms related to the issuance of e-identity cards enabling citizens to access electronic services.
The payment request also covers significant investments in the digital transformation of businesses and their innovative ecosystems, in railways, the electricity network, drinking and wastewater infrastructure, energy efficiency in district heating, tourism and culture, investments in modernising higher education and new IT infrastructure for public authorities. With the newly established one-stop shop for the circular economy and with innovative public procurement practices and a capital markets strategy, the achieved milestones continue to make Slovenia greener.
With this request, the Slovenian authorities have provided detailed and comprehensive evidence demonstrating the fulfilment of 41 milestonesand three targets. The Commission has thoroughly assessed this information before presenting its positive preliminary assessment of the payment request.
The Slovenian national recovery and resilience plan, which includes a REPowerEU chapter, covers a wide range of investments and reforms in 17 thematic components. The plan will be supported by €1.61 billion in grants, out of which €121 million allocated to REPowerEU, and €1.07 billion in loans. €231 million in grants was disbursed to Slovenia in pre-financing on 17 September 2021 and an additional €50 million in grants was disbursed on 20 April 2023, following the first payment request.
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 Slovenia’s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), asking for its opinion. 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 Slovenia can take place.
The Commission will assess further payment requests by Slovenia based on the fulfilment of the milestones and targets outlined in the Council Implementing Decision approving the plan, reflecting progress on the implementation of the investments and reforms.
The amounts disbursed to the Member States are published in the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, which shows progress of the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plans.
