EU Commission endorses Slovenia’s recovery plan

Brussels – The European Commission endorsed on Thursday Slovenia’s EUR 2.5 billion national recovery and resilience plan. Pending confirmation by member states, Slovenia will be able to draw EUR 1.8 billion in grants and EUR 705 million in loans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

Slovenia will spend the funds, equivalent to 5.4% of the country’s GDP, to support 33 reforms and 50 investments laid out in the plan.

Member states had to strike a balance between reforms and investments in their national plan, and comply with the condition that 37% of funds are set aside for green goals and 20% for digital goals.

Slovenia’s plan earmarks 42.4% for green transition goals and 21.4% for digital goals, with 30% set aside for the promotion of smart and inclusive growth, 15% for health, and 13% for digital transformation.

Slovenia plans to spend EUR 230 million on energy efficiency and seismic renovation of buildings, EUR 292 million on investments in railway infrastructure, and EUR 54 million on drinking water supply.

In the digital segment, EUR 114 million has been set aside for digital literacy and lifelong learning, EUR 83 million for digitalisation of healthcare, and EUR 44 million for the digital transition of business.

EUR 79 million in spending is planned to set up a long-term care system, EUR 110 million for increasing the resilience of the health system, EUR 60 million for affordable housing, and EUR 28 million for a faster entry of the young into the labour market.

To boost productivity and innovation, Slovenia plans to spend EUR 305 million to support private investments and reforms to improve the business environment.

The Commission said the Slovenian plan includes “an extensive set of mutually reinforcing reforms and investments that contribute to effectively addressing all or a significant subset of the economic and social challenges outlined in the country-specific recommendations.”

It includes important reforms on long-term care, healthcare, pensions and labour market, education and skills, R&D and innovation, business environment and public procurement.

The plan represents “a comprehensive and adequately balanced response to Slovenia’s economic and social situation, thereby contributing appropriately to all six pillars referred to in the RRF Regulation.”

The Commission assessed the plan across eleven categories, giving ten As and one B.

Confirmation by the Council is expected within four weeks, whereupon an agreement will be signed and Slovenia can get EUR 231 million in pre-financing. Individual payments will be carried out according to the agreement, either in full or on a pro rata basis.

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