Portuguese MEP Pedro Marques, vice-president of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, said on Thursday 3 June that the European Commission’s analysis of national recovery plans should not delay their adoption or implementation in Member States.
“We don’t want any excuses that would prevent national recovery plans from being approved quickly”, the Portuguese socialist told journalists. He said that national plans should be checked for “full” compliance with EU law, as the Commission’s services are known to be “very strict” in this respect.
In line with the European Parliament’s resolution asking to be fully informed before the approval of national plans (see EUROPE 12723/27), Mr Marques stressed the need for MEPs to exercise budgetary control of financial support under the Next Generation EU recovery plan. However, he warned other political groups in the European Parliament which may be tempted to create difficulties in order to slow down the process of assessing the plans.
So far, 23 Member States have submitted their national plans for approval at EU level - the latest being the Czech Republic, whose recovery plan calls for €7.1bn of EU aid in the form of grants only.
The Commission is expected to make its first recommendations for the adoption of national plans by the end of June, with a view to formal adoption by the EU Council in July. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)