The reprogramming was necessary because, without it, we would have lost over 890 million euros. While there has been much discussion about delays in the PRR [Recovery and Resilience Plan], the delay in PT 2030 has not been addressed,” stated the Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development, Hélder Reis.
In a joint parliamentary hearing with the Agriculture and Fisheries and Budget, Finance and Public Administration Committees, the official detailed adjustments in areas such as housing, defense, and water.
For the latter, particularly in the Sustainable 2030 program, some projects that were part of the PRR have been relocated.
Portugal submitted the PT 2030 reprogramming to Brussels earlier this week.
According to Hélder Reis, the reprogramming was initially completed by the end of March, but the European Commission allowed for an extension and created new eligibilities.
The Secretary of State also mentioned that only one difficulty remains in a program, which he did not specify, hoping the respective reprogramming will be concluded within a month.
PT 2030 is funded with 22.995 billion euros.
During this hearing, the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, emphasized the significance of this week for European funds, as he plans to present, this Friday, what he described as a “re-adjustment” of the PRR.
In this context, allocations and investment values will be adjusted based on execution capacity.
Reforms will remain unchanged, but investment alterations are expected, Castro Almeida specified.
The minister also announced that 10 milestones from the ninth payment request will be advanced to the eighth, without providing further details.
“By 2026, there will be no room for delay […], everything must be completed,” warned the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion.
The PRR, running until 2026, aims to implement a series of reforms and investments to foster economic recovery and growth.
The plan seeks to mitigate the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic while supporting investments and generating employment.
