The Government approved the adjustment to the plan “Next Generation Lithuania”
Today, the Government meeting approved the adjustment to the plan “Next Generation Lithuania” submitted by the Ministry of Finance with a view to submitting the second payment application for the subsidy tranche in September, which, together with the payment application for the loan tranche, would lead to the receipt of approximately EUR 500 million this year.
“We continue to keep a regular dialogue with the Commission, which have been informed informally on a preliminary basis about our intentions to advance the reporting on the indicators implemented. With the Government's approval today, we will contact the Commission, and, with the Commission's formal approval, we will submit the second payment application. After all standard procedures are implemented, we foresee that approximately EUR 500 million could reach Lithuania this year “, stressed Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė.
The solution involving technical changes of the indicators is to bring forward the formal deadlines for the indicators already achieved and to include them in the second payment application as well as to harmonise the deadlines for the implementation of all the indicators of the reform related to the reduction of poverty and income inequality, which are currently spread over different periods.
The indicators to be reported earlier than planned: the adoption of a cybersecurity development programme; the entry into force of the requirement for online platform operators to provide the STI with data on transactions that have taken place; the entry into force of new guidelines on pre-school education; the changed procedure for providing information to persons with disabilities; introduced changes in the methodology for determining municipal budgets, systematic comparison of fiscal indicators and assessment of municipalities’ capacity to increase revenue; announced competition for innovative solutions for improving communication between people with disabilities.
The aforementioned amendment to the plan “Next Generation Lithuania” would allow Lithuania to formally submit in September the second payment application for the subsidy tranche together with the planned second payment application for the loan tranche, the total value of which would be approximately EUR 500 million.
The unique feature of the plan “Next Generation Lithuania” is that the funds are paid out not for the costs incurred by the projects, but only for the achievement of indicators. The progress of the indicators in the plan is monitored periodically, together with experts from the Commission. When a payment application is submitted, the Commission usually assesses it within two months and on the basis of this assessment, subject to the approval of the Council of the EU,the funds are allocated.
It is worth noting that currently more than two thirds of the reformed actions of the plan “Next Generation Lithuania” have been implemented (72%) and the investments have gained momentum: calls for proposals for the subsidy tranche were announced for EUR 2.241 billion (98%), and project contracts were signed for EUR 1.815 billion (79%). For the loan tranche, calls for proposals have been announced for EUR 1.399 billion (90%).
Reporting on the results achieved, total funds received from the Commission, including advance payments, amount to EUR 1.356 billion.
Last updated: 13-08-2024
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