The NRP and Recovery Instrument will bring 191.5 billion in European funds to Italy in the coming years. Where do we stand?
Is there any news?
Definitely yes! We have regularly followed the development and debate on the Recovery Instrument and provided a final update in late April, on the eve of the official approval of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRP). What has happened since then? Let us review the main passages:
- The NRP was approved by the Council of Ministers (April 29).
- The NRP has been transmitted to the European Commission (May 5).
- The NRP has been approved by the European Commission (June 22).
- The NRP was approved by the EU Council (July 13).
- The portal dedicated to the PNRR has been opened , Italy Tomorrow (Aug. 3)
- The first tranche of NRP funds from the €25 billion has been disbursed (Aug. 13)
- The call for NRP governance officers has been published (Aug. 16)
Are we ready to go?
Thus, the NRP has completed its formal steps and a final version of the program is available. The NRP and Recovery Instrument for Italy are thus entering the implementation phase, which will gain more momentum once the recruitment of the officials in charge of its monitoring and execution is completed. However, the first PNRR funds have already arrived (on August 13) and the implementation of the PNRR has already started, as evidenced by the dedicated Italia Domani portal, which effectively brings together all information about the program and its progress.
How is it structured?
The NRP is divided into 6 main thematic areas(Missions), which in turn are organized into specific areas of intervention(Components), each of which is detailed in a large number of specific interventions(Investments). The NRP also includes 3 cross-cutting Priorities (Youth, Gender-gap and Citizenship Gap) and a broad strategy of Reforms (63 in all).
The resources of the PNRR (191.5 billion euros) are supplemented by those of an Italian state-funded Complementary Plan (CP), which pursues identical objectives and is worth 30.6 billion euros (for a total PNRR+PC of 222.1 billion euros).
To fully understand the strategy and interventions of the NRP, we recommend consulting its full text, which is systematically organized around the above pillars. We also recommend consulting the investment monitoring platform, which allows you to walk through all the planned interventions by filtering them by Mission, Component and Priority; but also by type of beneficiaries, by specific thematic area of reference, by start year, investment value and keyword.
We propose below a summary overview of the main lines of intervention. Clicking on each Mission and Component provides access to the list of corresponding Investments.
Additional details are provided within each Investment and will be updated as the intervention is implemented.
How does it work?
We are therefore in the midst of the operational phase of the largest European program ever, especially for our country.
The execution of the NRP will have to move forward with extreme speed: 70% of the funds will have to be committed by the end of 2022, the remaining 30% by the end of 2023, and actually spent by the end of 2026; achieving on time the indicators set for Missions, Components, Investments, Priorities and Reforms.
To ensure these results, the governance of the program is centralized: the coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the NRP is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, accompanied by a Steering Committee (established at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers) in charge of monitoring the progress of the Plan and the cooperation between the administrations in charge of its individual Components and the implementation of interventions (thematic ministries, regions and local authorities).
Thus, the implementation of interventions will take place at various levels, depending on the competencies of the government departments involved. It will make use of existing structures and procedures for the implementation of works and interventions by government, albeit with a greater focus on effectiveness, simplification of measures and a strengthened control system (designed to prevent irregularities, abuses and ensure the full traceability of PNRR funds).
Territories and the Third Sector will be able to benefit from the NRP in the (highly variable) ways envisaged by individual interventions: either indirectly (benefit from new tools, infrastructures and operating methods made available in their areas of intervention) or more directly (in case their action lends itself effectively to the implementation of a specific intervention).
However, the centralized nature, structural character and fast timelines, which are inherent features of the NRP, will differentiate actions financed by the NRP from those financed through, for example, the ERDF, ESF and European programs, which also leave plenty of room for small-scale interventions and fueled by the proponent organizations’ own design.
What lies ahead?
All that remains, therefore, is to keep abreast of the execution of the PNRR interventions: through the Italia Domani portal and through the information made available by individual regions (and other local authorities) regarding the execution of the interventions under their responsibility within the PNRR. In fact, NRP interventions will take place on the ground and in many cases will closely touch the daily reality of citizens, businesses, public and third sector organizations. In PNRR, it brings with it not only a great availability of funds, but also and above all a great impact expected in the daily lives of all Italian and European citizens. All that remains is to follow their developments and accompany them, where possible, directly or indirectly, with our commitment and ability to plan.
