Portugal could request the release of PRR funds held by Brussels sooner than planned by the Government

Portugal could request before the date defined internally by the Government – ​​June 26 – the release of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) funds withheld in December by Brussels for failure to meet milestones and objectives.

In an interview with Negócios and Antena 1, the president of the national monitoring committee of the PRR, Pedro Dominguinhos, explained that, for the moment, “only the signing of three transfer documents with the local authorities is missing”, linked to the transfer of powers. . in the area of ​​health for municipalities. This was one of the measures that, along with the statutes of professional associations and the creation of integrated responsibility centers in hospitals, were not fulfilled and led Brussels to withhold more than 700 million euros. The last two will already be fulfilled.

“What the Government has conveyed is that things are going in the right direction and it will be possible to present [o pedido de libertação das verbas]maybe even before June 26, but we have this deadline“he said, indicating that there are “no additional problems.”

PRR: Brussels calls for “timely execution” after Portugal fails to meet three targets

In December, Portugal had received only 2.6 billion euros, less than the 3.4 billion it was entitled to under the third and fourth payment requests. Funds can only be requested when Portugal demonstrates that it has managed to achieve the objectives and milestones it set out to achieve.

For the fifth payment request, Portugal must comply with the reform linked to the organization of public administration, which António Costa’s government had already guaranteed was at an “advanced” stage.

Pedro Dominguinhos also considered feasible and “important” the Government’s intention to guarantee a period of up to 60 days to respond to requests for European funds, if “the necessary means” exist.