Commission greenlights Sweden’s payment request for €1.47 billion under NextGenerationEU

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

Today, the European Commission positively assessed Sweden’s second payment request for €1.47 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. 

This is an important step in the delivery of the reforms and investments included in this payment request, which aim to support the green transition, a better functioning of the labour and housing markets, as well as to address demographic challenges. 

The Commission found that Sweden has satisfactorily completed the 8 milestones and 8 targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision. 

Flagship measures in this payment include: 

• Advancing the green transition: thanks to the “Climate Leap” initiative, local and regional green projects are being supported, including the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
  The green transition is also supported through two reforms, one to streamline the process for environmental permits and another one to speed up the authorisation process for developing the electricity grid.   
• Creating additional study places: both in regional adult vocational education as well as universities and other higher education institutions.  In parallel, a new legislation introduces a national professional programme for principals, teachers and early childhood education and care teachers. 
• Improving elderly care: by upskilling staff working in elderly care centres. This is complemented by a new legislation regulating the professional title of nursing assistants.
• Increasing the supply of new rental dwellings: by lowering rent to relieve the housing shortage. In addition, a revision of the regulatory framework for building permits contributes to accelerating the building permit process. 

Next steps 

The Commission has sent its preliminary assessment of Sweden’s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the Council’s Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has four weeks to deliver its opinion. The payment to Sweden can take place following the EFC’s opinion, and the adoption of a payment decision by the Commission later. 

Background 

Sweden submitted its second payment request on 23 January 2026. Sweden’s recovery and resilience plan  has a strong focus on the green transition and is comprehensive, with a good balance between investments and reforms. Key reforms are speeding up the authorisation process for developing the electricity grid, the abolishment of a reduced energy fuel tax in certain sectors, an employment protection act offering greater labour market transition possibilities as well as a pension system reform. Key investments are climate investments; energy-efficient, rental and student housing; more study places in higher vocational education; and broadband expansion. 

Today’s payment request would bring the funds paid out to Sweden under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to €3.11 billion. This amount corresponds to 90.34% of all funds included in the Swedish recovery and resilience plan, with 87.76 % of all milestones and targets in the plan now fulfilled. 

With a view to the closure of the Facility at the end of 2026, Member States must implement all outstanding milestones and targets by 31 August 2026 and submit their last payment requests by the end of September 2026. 

For more information 

Commission’s preliminary assessment of Sweden’s second payment request  

Sweden’s recovery and resilience plan 

Recovery and Resilience Facility 

Recovery and Resilience Facility project map 

Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard 

Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation 

Recovery and Resilience Facility – questions and answers 

EU as a borrower