Infographic image: a leave with pictograms representing digitalisation, healthcare, green energy, marketThe European Union has launched a recovery plan to respond to the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your country will be able to receive funding in the form of grants and loans that can be combined with national funding and other EU funding to boost the recovery. Such funding is conditional upon the presentation of a national recovery plan to the European Commission. Member States may submit draft recovery plans from 15th October with the final deadline for submission on 30th April 2021.

 

The National Recovery and Resilience Plans should contribute to the following objectives:

 

  • Promoting the Union’s economic, social and territorial cohesion;
  • Strengthening economic and social resilience (employment, skills and social policies);
  • Mitigating the social and economic impact of the crisis (impact on health and care systems, employment, education, lifelong learning, poverty, social exclusion and businesses); and
  • Supporting the green and digital transition (reaching the international and EU environmental and climate neutrality goals and targets and respecting the do not harm principle/integrating digital technologies by businesses, and increasing digital skills and cyber-resilience).

 

If you wish to ensure that your national government is prioritising investments and reforms in areas you work on, it is crucial to engage now with your relevant government ministry (usually it is the Economy of Finance Ministry, or European Affairs Ministry who are coordinating the plans for the national governments). Your government will have to report, in its submission, on how it has consulted with social partners, civil society and other stakeholders, in the preparation of the plans and so there is a good opportunity to engage in order to push for the priorities you wish to see.

 

Please use this template letter that you could send to your national government.

 

To know more about the EU funds to boost the recovery have a look at the Recovery Plan for Europe, the Communication on the Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 and the Q&A on the Recovery and Resilience Facility

 

To know more about the recommendations the EU sent to your country, check the country specific recommendations (2019 and 2020 semester cycles).