National recovery plans should add to EU resilience and strategic autonomy 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

• Recovery and Resilience Facility’s expiry in 2026 poses a significant risk 
• MEPs demand an 18-month extension for mature projects 
• Transparency and traceability of the use of EU funds must be improved 
• Recovery funding should focus on infrastructure, energy, and EU defence investment 

MEPs want to extend EU recovery funding beyond 2026 to ensure the completion of key investments and large-scale projects.

A plenary resolution adopted by 421 votes to 180, and with 55 abstentions highlights the stabilising effect of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) at a time of significant economic uncertainty in Europe.

Strengthening EU resilience and autonomy

MEPs note that the RRF prevented the fragmentation of the EU internal market and promoted recovery. They want RRF funding to respect the principle of additionality and not replace cohesion policy funding. The resolution calls for targeted investment in EU defence, education and skills, and more cross-border and multi-country measures, including high-speed railway. MEPs insist on accelerating investment in social protection and the integration of vulnerable groups. They also encourage member states to amend their national investment plans using REPowerEU to boost EU’s energy autonomy.

RRF expires in 2026

MEPs are concerned that the short timeframe for the implementation of outstanding RRF funding poses challenges to the completion of key reforms, large-scale investments and innovative projects, as well as the 70% of milestones and targets that have still to be reached. They urge the Commission to set up new programmes, which should be flexible and reactive to changing circumstances and guarantee predictability. MEPs also demand an 18-month extension for ongoing mature projects.

Transparency and simplification

The RRF’s long-term benefits to gross domestic product are likely to be between three to six times greater than the money spent, but MEPs are concerned about the total cost of Next Generation EU (NGEU) capital interest repayments. They reiterate the need for a strong auditing and monitoring mechanism for RRF expenditure to prevent misuse, double funding, and duplication with other EU programmes. They demand clearer links between milestones, targets, and the actual implementation of projects, and urge the Commission to take into account European Court of Auditors recommendations for any future performance-based instruments similar to the RRF, in particular in the context of a more targeted MFF.

MEPs value the way the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard provides citizens with basic information on overall progress on the implementation of national plans. They insist, though, that it should include information on the companies involved, including contractors and sub-contractors, and their ultimate owners. They also call for the urgent simplification of application and reporting requirements, to help smaller applicants and maximise the absorption and impact of funding, while reinforcing the role of local and regional authorities in the design, revision and implementation of national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs).

Quotes

Victor Negrescu (S&D, RO), co-rapporteur on behalf of the Committee on Budgets, said: “We must ensure that every single euro is spent correctly, transparently and has a positive impact on our citizens and businesses. Unless we act now, critical investments risk being left unfinished after the end of the Facility in August 2026. We need to speed up implementation, reduce the bureaucracy and help the beneficiaries. As Budgets Rapporteur on the file, I pushed for concrete solutions and called for an extension of funding of 18 months for mature projects. I also demanded that unfinished projects can continue under other EU instruments such as the cohesion funds, InvestEU, or a future Competitiveness Fund, and that Member States should be allowed to adjust faster and easier their National Recovery and Resilience Plans in line with the RRF objectives. We do not accept halfway solutions. Today, the Parliament is sending a clear message: we stand by the citizens and fight for the finalisation of essential projects”.

Siegfried Mureşan (EPP, RO), co-rapporteur on behalf of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, said: “We are determined to ensure that the Recovery and Resilience Facility funds deliver tangible benefits to citizens. This is why the Parliament is calling for an 18‑month extension for mature RRF projects. This extension would apply to projects on track for successful completion, provided the extension is granted. At the same time, we are calling for a review of how unspent RRF funds can support Europe’s new strategic priorities, notably strengthening competitiveness and reinforcing our defence capabilities. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions, Europe must act decisively to defend its citizens.”