The European Commission has issued a favorable recommendation for the revision of Greece’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, known as “Greece 2.0”, which will facilitate the approval of this revision by the European Council.
The key aim of Greece’s revision proposal to the European Commission is to maximize the utilization of all resources from the Recovery Fund available to the nation. This proposal maintains financial neutrality, meaning there is no reduction in funding for the Greek plan. The revision involves modifying actions for technical and managerial reasons based on current implementation progress, enhancing initiatives in high-demand areas, and introducing new projects.
According to the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, the revised “Greece 2.0” plan includes new initiatives such as a complete upgrade of safety infrastructure for the ten largest railway tunnels managed by OSE through smart systems, smart crossings for schools, the development of autonomous smart lighting networks along major roads, and the acquisition of 175 additional electric buses for Athens and Thessaloniki.
The plan also features initiatives for the digital transformation of education, which includes 2,900 interactive boards for public schools, improvements in public health, urban planning using advanced technology to detect illegal constructions, the purchase of two aircraft for Civil Protection, and a new multimedia communication system for public service delivery.
The inclusion and funding of these new projects were made possible by reallocating available resources from other projects, such as the 13 Regional Civil Protection Centers and upgrading 7 Canadair to longer-term financial instruments. This reallocation occurred due to the assessment of certain actions as unfeasible within the set timeline owing to objective conditions, including unsuccessful tender outcomes, like the upgrade of digital skills for personnel and the digitization of the Economic Diplomacy network. In the Electrification initiative, a lack of market response led to the replacement of the “Green Taxis” and “Charge Everywhere” programs with additional electric bus purchases.
Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, noted that Greece submitted its revision proposal for the “Greece 2.0” National Plan on May 14, 2025, in line with regulatory provisions and promptly addressing the Commission’s call for all member states to revise their national plans, ensuring timely submission of pending payment requests.
The next step following the Commission’s positive recommendation is the final approval of the revision proposal by ECOFIN, which is anticipated in July.
The Commission’s proposal for the Council’s Implementing Decision to amend the July 13, 2021 decision regarding Greece’s Recovery and Resilience Plan assessment can be accessed at this link: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/599847ee-01e8-4cfe-96d7-4a4ccd2ceb00_en?filename=COM_2025_367_1_EN_ACT_part1_v3.pdf. (2/7/25)
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