The European Commission has approved and paid a new 18.3 billion euro tranche in favor of Italy in the context of National recovery and resilience plan (PNRR), the heart of the European Nextgenerationau program. This is the seventh payment provided for by Recovery and resilience facility (RRF), consisting of 4.6 billion in subsidies and 13.7 billion in loans.
With this payment, the total of the resources already reached in our country rises to 140.4 billion euros, equal to 72% of the total allocation of 194.4 billion.
Motorway reform, railways and energy
The new tranche is linked to the achievement of 31 goals and 33 objectives, which cover 10 reforms and 46 investments.
Among the main points:
- the annual competition on competition 2023, with measures to increase transparency and encourage public tenders, with particular attention to strategic sectors such as highways;
- railway accessibility with the renewal of 10 stations in southern Italy to facilitate the movements of people with disabilities or reduced mobility;
- The strengthening of the renewable energy distribution network with 1,848 MW of additional capacity, thanks to new subsits, modernization of the existing ones and strengthening of the lines.
According to what was communicated by the Commission, these measures aim to encourage energy transition and improve infrastructure, with direct effects on the competitiveness of businesses and the quality of life of Italian citizens.
The interventions in the railway sector and the electricity network are part of a wider strategy that aims to reduce the infrastructure gap between the north and south and to accelerate the achievement of the climate objectives set by the EU.
At what point are we with the PNRR
Italy has now received over 2/3 of the funds envisaged by the PNRR, but to obtain the remaining tranches it will be necessary to respect a dense calendar of deadlines and reach the goals agreed with Brussels by the end of 2026.
This means:
- complete new structural reforms in areas such as Public Administration, Justice and Competition;
- advance in the infrastructure projects already started, ensuring that they are operational and tested within the deadlines;
- respect the environmental and digital objectives set by the Commission, in line with the Green Deal and the European digital agenda;
- Ensure the transparent reporting of each intervention, with checks on times, costs and economic impact.
Failure to reach even only one of the goals can lead to the blockage or postponement of subsequent payments.
Precisely for this reason 2025 and 2026 will be decisive years: Brussels will monitor each step closely, while the government will have to ensure that the funds translate into concrete, completed and functioning projects.
The other beneficiaries
In addition to Italy, the payment of almost 43 billion overall of the Commission concerned 4 other member countries:
- Spain – 23.1 billion euros (7 billion in loans and 16 billion in subsidies), fifth payment of the national plan, with interventions on renewable energy, digitization of SMEs and strengthening of cybersicacy;
- Portugal – 1.34 billion euros, sixth tranches, with reforms on healthcare, residential building, management of forest fires and inclusion of people with disabilities;
- Cyprus – 76 million euros, fourth payment, for enhancing the online services of the PA, digital health and simplification of real estate transactions;
- Malta – 48.7 million euros, third tranche, for sustainable mobility, renewal of schools, strengthening of medical equipment and modernization of justice.
