Austria’s application for payment positively evaluated by the EU Commission. Ultimately, it is up to 3.75 billion euros for grants and projects such as the climate ticket, the conversion of heating systems and computers for schoolchildren.
The EU Commission has given the go-ahead for grants to Austria from the reconstruction fund in the amount of 700 given million euros. She assessed Austria’s first payment application as positive for the time being. “Austria has launched important reforms and investments for ecological change,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“The climate ticket is an excellent example. Further investments help families to switch to renewable energies for heating,” continued von der Leyen. As soon as the EU countries agree to the assessment of the EU Commission, Austria could be the first 700 Millions of euros in grants received. This is considered a mere formality.
“With the approval of the first application for payment, an important step has been taken,” said Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP), according to the broadcast. “Because the first application for payment already includes the funds for around 25 percent of the reforms and investments planned up to 2026.” It is particularly important to her that municipalities, regions and the population benefit from EU funds that are geared towards future areas such as sustainability or digitalisation, said the Europe Minister.
The euros are rolling
“We are pursuing ambitious goals with the EU reconstruction plan,” said Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) in welcoming the “green light” from Brussels. “We have succeeded in implementing important reform projects and the milestones that have been reached strengthen Austria in important future areas.”
According to the Federal Chancellery, the reforms and investments covered by this first payment application include the delivery of 160,000 digital devices to schoolchildren, the replacement of more than 6000 oil and gas heating systems, the payment of 40,000 education bonuses, the start of community care ” Community Nursing”, the entry into force of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EAG), the introduction of the climate ticket and the development of the financial education strategy.
In the event of further positive evaluations, Austria can count on grants totaling almost 3.75 billion euros. In 2021, Austria’s recovery and resilience plan worth almost 3.5 billion euros was positively evaluated by the European Commission and the corresponding regulation came into force. The final amount of 3.75 billion euros was determined in June 2022 based on economic data from 2019 to 2021.
(WHAT)