The European Commission has extended the deadline for talks with seven members, including Hungary, on their plans to use the Commission’s Reconstruction and Resilience Facility (RRF), Veerle Nuyts, a spokesperson for the EC, said on Tuesday.
Nuyts said that Poland, Sweden, Malta, Romania, Finland and Estonia had asked for a two-month extension, while the comission had proposed that conclusion of the talks with Hungary should also be postponed to September 30. The Hungarian side responded by offering a constructive cooperation to resolve open issues, she added.
According to the spokeswoman, the commission needs more time to obtain sufficient information to evaluate if the submitted plans meet the EC’s criteria.
The EU’s recovery package, a total of 750 billion euros, will be distributed between member states for projects promoting environmental and digitalised solutions, sustainable development, as well as social and territorial cohesion. Decarbonising the industry, renewal of buildings, digitalisation of public administration and providing re-training to job-seekers are also crucial areas.
In the featured photo illustration: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and PResident of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Photo by Vivien Cher Benko/PM’s Press Office