What European funds have brought to Romania in recent years

94,000 companies were supported, over 1,100 km of roads were built or modernized, 1.5 million Romanians benefited from preventive medical services, only through the programs related to the 2014-2020 programming period, according to MIPE. Practically, from the moment of accession to the European Union until now, the total net amount received by Romania from the European Union amounts to 56 billion euros. Of these, the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and the European Aid Fund for the Most Disadvantaged (FEAD) brought 44.6 billion euros. More precisely, 16.9 billion represent the payments related to the 2007-2013 programming period, 27 billion euros are the amounts paid through the programs of the 2014-2021 period and 716 million euros pre-financing for 2021-2027. Also, through the National Recovery Plan and Resilience, Romania has so far received 6.35 billion euros through the two components of reimbursable and non-reimbursable financial assistance.

“May 9 is a holiday that we now feel closer than ever to our Romanian identity, after the challenges of the last few years that we successfully passed together with the other member states of the Union and with their support. The last years were undoubtedly one of those periods in history that showed us that solidarity, common values ​​and the desire to build our future together really make us stronger because it makes us more responsible and creative, to we use resources better and identify new opportunities for development. I would say that, for Romania, Europe Day in 2023 means the certainty of a safer and better future for us. For the period 2021 – 2027, our country has at its disposal only through the Cohesion Policy an amount comparable to that received by Romania from the Commission in the last 16 years, from accession to the present moment, to which are added the funds allocated through the Recovery Mechanism and Resilience. Moreover, the accelerated pace of access to funds, investments in infrastructure, public services and the productivity of the private sector, to which I would add our concern not to leave the vulnerable behind, will mean that, in a short time, Romania look quite different in the coming years. In this way, I congratulate the team from the ministry, which played a vital role in this process of Romania’s modernization. I am convinced that the end of this year will bring us closer to the absorption target of over 95% through the cohesion policy and the realization of the reforms and investments assumed through the PNRR”, declared Minister Marcel Boloş.

For the period 2014 – 2020, the absorption rate of funds is currently 76% of the total allocated to Romania, through the operational programs related to this period, investments were made in essential sectors such as the business environment, transport, health, education, water infrastructure and waste water, but also the social inclusion of disadvantaged people.

Thus, through the European funds related to the period 2014-2020, more than 94,000 companies in Romania were supported to become more productive through investments in retechnology, automation, increasing energy efficiency, training employees. Also, new SMEs were born thanks to European money: Competitiveness Operational Program – 73,840 companies supported; Regional Operational Program – 3314 companies supported; Large Infrastructure Operational Program – 288 companies supported; Human Capital Operational Program – 16,655 companies supported.

Through the Regional Operational Program and the Large Infrastructure Operational Program, investments were made in the construction or modernization of 1,149 km of roads, 14 airports were modernized and 170 km of railways were renovated or modernized, according to MIPE.

2 million Romanians benefit from access to the water network at compliant standards and 3.4 million benefit from access to the waste water network, through investments in the expansion and rehabilitation of the water distribution network (1,066 km) and the waste water network ( 1,019 km) financed by POIM.

In the field of health, through the Regional Operational Program 205 medical units were rehabilitated, modernized and equipped, and through POIM a budget of over 800 million euros was allocated through which investments were made to equip public health units with equipment and apparatus medical equipment, medical and medical protection devices, equipment for specialized transport, equipment for decontamination and triage support necessary for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 infection and for the management of the emergency situation caused by the COVID-19 crisis at the level of public health units. Also, investments were made for the structures that use medical fluids for carrying out the therapeutic medical act.

Through the Human Capital Operational Program, over 540,000 children and 30,000 young people and adults benefited from support to participate in education programs. Through the Competitiveness Operational Program, 230,000 pupils and students benefited from IT equipment and 12,662 classes and laboratories had access to the latest generation equipment necessary for the educational process.

Last but not least, the European funds from 2014 to 2020 have substantially supported vulnerable Romanians, so that over 2.5 million people have access to cards for food and hot meals, 4 million receive support for paying energy bills, and preschoolers and students from vulnerable families benefit from vouchers for clothes and supplies.

Through the 16 national and regional programs related to the period 2021 – 2027, 490 calls for projects worth 36.4 billion euros will be opened this year, with the first applicant guides for the calls for projects being put up for public consultation starting from April, with calls to be launched next month. Also, 44 ​​calls for projects, worth 4.27 billion euros, will be launched this year through the PNRR.