In the run-up to 31 August, the deadline for achieving all the milestones and targets set in the national recovery plans financed by the ‘Recovery and Resilience Facility’ (RRF), MEPs from the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) and Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) held their 22nd Recovery and Resilience Dialogue with the Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, on Monday 9 February.
MEPs questioned him on how to ensure smooth implementation and effective closure of the RRF, and also on the “lessons” to be incorporated into the next budget architecture.
At the start of the discussions, the Vice-Chair of the BUDG Committee, Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, German), pointed out that the final payment requests were expected by 30 September 2026 at the latest and that payments would have to be made by 31 December.
Raffaele Fitto spoke of an RRF “in the final year of implementation”, and of the simplification effort undertaken with the Member States. According to him, the exercise has involved withdrawing measures that were deemed untenable by the summer of 2026, removing redundant milestones and merging certain intermediate objectives with the final objectives.
He cited, in particular, Poland’s €500 million contribution to the IRIS² programme, the EU’s secure satellite system, and the merging of digital objectives in the Slovenian plan.
Raffaele Fitto recalled the 18 national plans simplified by 2025 and six since the beginning of 2026, the 20% reduction in the number of remaining milestones and objectives, and 25% less volume in the plans.
With regard to disbursements, he mentioned €87 billion paid in 2025 and, in total, €394 billion disbursed out of €577 billion (68%). He also anticipated an acceleration in 2026, with around a third of the funds still to be paid.
On the subject of the 2028-2034 MFF, Karlo Ressler (EPP, Croatian) asked the Commission about the weaknesses of the model and the differences in national performances.
The Commissioner assured that the Commission was looking for a more coherent approach between the RRF and cohesion policy, with funding more closely linked to reforms and geared towards results. The aim is also to achieve ‘multi-level’ governance and a stronger regional dimension.
Referring to the transparency and flexibility that should guide the 2028-2034 MFF, he said that the proposed financial overhaul would strengthen publication obligations, with information on final beneficiaries and centralisation of data.
With regard to flexibility, he defended a system capable of responding more to unforeseen circumstances and new priorities, without abandoning “robust safeguards” to protect the EU’s financial interests.
Asked about the possibility of extending the deadlines, for example in the case of Poland, he said: “The Commission is not going to propose extending the deadlines for the RRF”. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)