Projects regarding reforms in PNRR, pending

The digital transition and PNRR, with 2% each, represent the areas in which the European Commission approved the fewest reform projects initiated by our country, according to an analysis carried out by the Community Executive regarding the Technical Assistance Instrument (STI/TSI) sent to the Parliament European.

The quoted document states that from 2017 until now the European Commission has approved 79 reform projects for our country and notes that, unlike in 2021, when we had 16 projects approved, in 2022 we decreased to 12 reform projects, because in 2023 let's go up to 14.

The 79 approved reform projects are in the following areas: public finance (19%), financial sector and financial intermediation (19%), public administration (17%), green transition (13.5%), labor market, social protection and migration (9.5%), competitiveness (8%), health (5%), education and skills (5%), digital transition (2%) and PNRR (2%).

For the year 2023, the European Commission has approved 14 support projects for reform in our country, of which six are implemented only in Romania, and eight are in cross-border cooperation.

The six reform projects approved strictly for our country refer to:

- professionalization of public procurement staff - promotion of strategic methodologies, integrity and transparency

- strengthening the capacity of the Public Ministry to investigate intellectual property violations

- interventions to reduce poverty and increase equity through the use of integrated community services, sustainable partnerships and strengthening the local community

- implementation of the support scheme for renewable energy in Romania

- improving the business environment by implementing a simplified licensing reform

- technical support for the Romanian authorities for the implementation of the digital transition within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

With regard to cross-border projects, our country participates in projects on the mobility of the public service, the exchange of experience in key areas, on the EU Academy of Digital Financial Supervision, the consolidation of strategic reforms in tax administration, the management of ESG risks in the financial sector, the mapping of authorities' competences national in the field of implementing EU restrictive measures, monitoring market abuse through Artificial Intelligence, public communication on the benefits of PNRR.

The Technical Assistance Instrument (TSI/TSI) is the EU program that provides Member States with tailored technical expertise to design and implement reforms at national level with a focus on green and digital transitions. The instrument also supports the implementation of national recovery and resilience plans. Initiated in 2021, it is the successor to the Structural Reform Support Program (SRSP). Since 2017, both programs have helped to design, develop and implement more than 1500 reform projects in the 27 EU Member States.

Regarding the specific role of the Technical Assistance Instrument regarding PNRRs, the European Commission claims that more than 400 approved projects are related to the implementation of these plans in the member states. In 2022, over 60% of STI/TSI projects referred to resilience and recovery plans, and in 2023 over 77% of these reform projects refer to PNRR, the Commission claims in the document sent to the European Parliament. The respective projects target 23 EU member states.

At the country level, the share of reform projects supported through STI/TSI that have a direct or indirect link with the implementation of the NRDP varies from 0% to 86%, the EU average being 59%.