The European Commission has today endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Spain's second payment request for €12 billion in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the key instrument at the heart of NextGenerationEU.

On 30 April 2022, Spain submitted to the Commission a payment request based on the achievement of the 40 milestones and targets laid out in the Council Implementing Decision for the second instalment. They cover investments and reforms in the areas of green and just transition, the labour market, pensions, regulated professions, digital connectivity and R&D. Other areas covered are healthcare, education, support to vulnerable groups, entrepreneurship and micro-enterprises, prevention of tax fraud and green taxation, as well as effective and sustainable public spending.

With their request, the Spanish authorities provided detailed and comprehensive evidence demonstrating the fulfilment of all the 40 milestones and targets. As required by the RRF Regulation, Spain has also confirmed that measures related to previously satisfactorily fulfilled milestones and targets have not been reversed. The Commission has thoroughly assessed this information before presenting its positive preliminary assessment of the payment request.