European Commission has disbursed € 2.2 billion to Portugal, € 770 million to Belgium and € 12.1 million to Luxembourg under RRF
The European Commission today, i.e., Tuesday, August 3, 2021, disbursed € 2.2 billion to Portugal, € 770 million to Belgium and € 12.1 million to Luxembourg, as pre-financing under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
Portugal’s pre-financing is 13% of its total allocation of € 16.6 billon. The Portugal will invest € 300 million to make large-scale renovation programme to increase the energy efficiency of residential buildings. The plan also covers measures worth € 300 million to modernise the computer systems of the National Health Service and increase the digitalisation of medical records compliant with appropriate security principles.
Taking it to twitter, the President of European Commission – Ursula von der Leyen tweeted,
1st disbursement of funds under #NextGenerationEU today for 🇵🇹, a landmark moment for Portugal's recovery!
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 3, 2021
It will help make the #EUGreenDeal a reality in 🇵🇹, digitalise the economy & make it more robust.
🇪🇺 stands by Portugal’s side in the implementation of the recovery plan. pic.twitter.com/Sx27g3Z1No
It will also finance the “Youth Impulse” project with € 130 million that aims to upgrade science facilities in secondary schools and universities to raise enrolment rates in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics courses. This project has a particular focus on women to promote gender equality and counter stereotypes in career choices.
Separately, Belgium also got 13% of their total allocation of € 5.9 billion. Belgium will invest € 400 million for adopting to climate change. This includes circular water use projects, investments in a coherent network of protected areas for nature and climate-resilient forests, for the re-meandering of rivers and the creation and restoration of wet nature and valleys.
As far as digital transition is concerned, Belgium will invest of € 480 million to develop more inclusive and future-proof education system across language communities with improved digital and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills of pupils and students and access to digital tools and technology. Belgium will also make investment in tune of € 450 million to improve and expand training to facilitate the integration of vulnerable groups – including people with a migrant background, the low-skilled, people with disabilities – and to improve access to the labour market for job seekers.
Ursula tweeted,
The 1st disbursement of funds under #NextGenerationEU is great news for Belgium.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 3, 2021
🇧🇪 is already an innovation front-runner and #NextGenerationEU will give it the resources needed to go fully green and digital.
Looking forward to many success stories made in 🇧🇪, supported by 🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/P3e6g4f2YM
Another country which got its pre-financing today is Luxembourg. It has also received 13% of its € 93.4 million funds. Of this, Luxembourg will use € 30.5 million for switching to sustainable transport in and expand the network of charging points for electric vehicles. It will invest € 10 million to strengthen cyber security resilience, co-finance Luxembourg’s ultra-secure communication infrastructure “LuxQCI Lab”. It will also set-up a “Housing Pact 2.0” with municipalities to reform funding of new or renovated affordable and sustainable housing.
Ursula tweeted,
The first disbursement of funds is making #NextGenerationEU real in Luxembourg!
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 3, 2021
🇱🇺 has one of the greenest recovery plans, with investments in clean energy, renewables and sustainable mobility.
The EU is giving Luxembourg a boost to achieve the green transition. pic.twitter.com/t2HrKA2Ols
The E.U. had announced a € 672.5 billion RRF in 2020 to help European economies cope-up with the fight the economic crisis caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19). Of this, € 312.5 billion will be given as grants and € 360 billion in loans. All the 27 Member States are required to submit a recovery and resilience plan to get their share of funds.
