NextGenerationEU: Positive preliminary assessment of Denmark's request for €301 million disbursement under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

The European Commission has endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Denmark's payment request for €301 million of grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the key instrument at the heart of NextGenerationEU.

On 16 December 2022, Denmark submitted to the Commission a payment request based on the achievement of the 23 milestones and two targets selected in the Council Implementing Decision for the first instalment. They cover reforms that are part of the green tax reform as well as relating to the digitalisation of the health system. Several milestones and targets also concern major investment measures in the fields of green transition of agriculture and environment, energy efficiency, clean vehicles and ferries, and research.

With their request, the Danish authorities provided detailed and comprehensive evidence demonstrating the fulfilment of the 23 milestones and two targets. The Commission has thoroughly assessed this information before presenting its positive preliminary assessment of the payment request.

The Danish recovery and resilience plan includes a wide range of investment and reform measures in seven thematic components. The plan will be supported by €1.43 billion in grants, of which €201 million was disbursed to Denmark in pre-financing on 2 September 2021.

Payments under the RRF are performance-based and contingent on Member States implementing the investments and reforms outlined in their respective recovery and resilience plans.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Today I have good news for Denmark: the country is ready to receive a first grant payment of €301 million under NextGenerationEU, Europe's recovery plan, once EU countries approve our assessment. Denmark has kicked off significant reforms and investments: a reduced registration tax for zero and low emission cars will for instance give Danish households incentives to reduce CO2 emissions. Denmark is also boosting the resilience of its health sector, with measures ensuring stocks of critical medicines and promoting telemedicine. Well done, Denmark!'"

Next steps

The Commission has now sent its positive preliminary assessment of Denmark´s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), asking for its opinion. The EFC's opinion, to be delivered within a maximum of four weeks, should be taken into account in the Commission's assessment. Following the EFC's opinion, the Commission will adopt the final decision on the disbursement of the financial contribution, in accordance with the examination procedure, through a comitology committee. Following the adoption of the decision by the Commission, the disbursement to Denmark can take place.

The Commission will assess further payment requests by Denmark based on the fulfilment of the milestones and targets outlined in the Council Implementing Decision, reflecting progress on the implementation of the investments and reforms.

The amounts disbursed to the member states are published in the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, which shows progress of the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plans.

More information

Preliminary assessment

Question and Answers on Denmark's disbursement request under NextGenerationEU

Press release on €201 million in pre-financing to Denmark

Question and Answers on Denmark's recovery and resilience plan

Factsheet on Denmark's recovery and resilience plan

Council Implementing Decision

Annex to the Proposal for a Council Implementing Decision

Staff-working document

Recovery and Resilience Facility

Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard

Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation

Question and Answers on the Recovery and Resilience Facility

EU as a borrower website

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