This Friday, Portugal sent the eighth payment request for the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) to the European Commission, which brings together 36 completed milestones and targets. Of this total, 22 were planned for this phase of the calendar and 14 were anticipated from later orders.
The delivery takes place around two weeks after the Government submitted the PRR reprogramming proposal in Brussels – the “very final” version of the plan. These are distinct processes, which are now being analyzed by the European executive.
The 22 milestones and targets foreseen for this request correspond to a gross value of 1292 million euros, which translates into a net value of 1162 million after deducting pre-financing.
According to information released by the Recover Portugal Mission Structure (EMRP) and the Ministry of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, the milestones and targets allegedly completed – and which also cover investments and reforms associated with the ninth and tenth checks – are distributed across 14 components of the plan.
The offices state that there have been advances in the digitalization of health services, with new equipment in regional services and greater access for professionals to computer systems. In the social responses, they highlight the continuation of the Aging in Place project in the Azores and the preparation of the report on the single social benefit.
In the area of qualifications, mention is made of the creation of more Ciência Viva clubs, an increase in the number of graduates in scientific and technological areas and more adults involved in post-secondary and higher education.
They are indicated also progress in territorial management, through contracts for fuel management projects in several villages and the installation of new groundwater monitoring points.
Regarding industry, the Government and EMRP mention projects linked to energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions, while, in the energy sector, the reinforcement of electrical storage capacity in Madeira is specifically mentioned.
In mobility, they talk about advances in the work on the direct service bus line in Porto. In the field of digitalization, EMRP highlights completed training, the modernization of security forces systems and the availability of new online public services.
There is also reference to measures related to the new cost model for budgeting, the assessment of tax benefits and the entry into force of the revised statute for judicial employees.
Within the scope of the REPowerEU chapter, the creation of an instrument to support energy efficiency in the residential sector, the opening of 50 Citizen Energy Spaces and training in the area of green skills are highlighted.
The Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion states, in a statement, that “the anticipation of milestones and targets demonstrates stability, rigor and responsible management of European funds”. Brussels will now verify whether this set of goals has been effectively completed.