Mid-term evaluation of the Recovery and Resilience facility

The objective of this evaluation report is to assess the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) atmid-term. The RRF is the EU’s main instrument to mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the EESC will examine, from the point of view of the organised civil society, the effectiveness and relevance of this instrument, as well as aim to determine the added value of civil society involvement in achieving the RRF Regulation’s objectives. The evaluation will also cover later developments, such as the REPowerEU initiative. The results of the EESC's evaluation will feed into the Commission's evaluation, the completion of which is scheduled for Q1 2024.

This opinion focuses on the reform and investment measures in the Member States, in particular those based on the Country-Specific Recommendations 2023, and their implementation, in order to assess the effectiveness of these measures and the possibilities for better targeting of proposals, improved implementation and the monitoring and involvement of organised civil society in the procedures. This opinion also looks at issues concerning the ongoing reform of the EU’s economic governance rules, the central objective of which is to strengthen public debt sustainability while promoting sustainable and inclusive growth in all Member States through reforms and investment. Moreover, the opinion continues the previous consultation exercises by examining the state of the implementation of the reforms and investments provided for in the national Recovery and Resilience Plans and which are financially supported by RRF funds.

Information Report ECO/651 and Own-initiative opinion ECO/652 are a continuation of the European Semester Group's (ESG) work to consult annually national economic and social councils, social partners and civil society organisations from EU Member States on reform and investment proposals made in the context of the European Semester and their implementation in the Member States. The Information Report aims to collect the views of social partners and civil society organisations in the Member States on the reform and investment proposals and their implementation, in particular those indicated in the 2024 Country-Specific Recommendations. The Own-initiative opinion aims to complement the Information Report and to include the EESC's policy recommendations based on the results of the stakeholder consultation. It allows the EESC to formulate general and specific considerations, and to present the associated EESC's conclusions and policy proposals.