European Commission Endorses Bulgaria’s €6.17 Billion Recovery Plan with Strong Green Focus

The European Commission has officially endorsed the revised version of Bulgaria’s recovery and resilience plan, which now totals €6.17 billion in grants. The updated framework includes a dedicated REPowerEU chapter aimed at reducing Europe's dependence on Russian fossil fuels before the end of the decade.

The revised plan outlines 50 reforms and 51 investment measures. The adjustments reflect real-world challenges encountered during implementation, such as inflation-driven cost increases, disruptions in global supply chains, shifts in market demand, and the identification of more effective approaches to achieving the intended outcomes.

A significant focus in the new version of the plan is the green transition. Nearly half - 49.9% - of the total funding is allocated to climate-related initiatives. In the REPowerEU section specifically, 99.5% of the funding is directed toward climate objectives. These include measures designed to alleviate energy poverty, safeguard vulnerable consumers, encourage renewable energy adoption and storage, facilitate the liberalisation of the electricity sector, and improve the performance of the balancing market.

Digital transformation remains another cornerstone of the plan, which commits 20.6% of its funding to technological development. Among the priorities are the expansion of very high-capacity digital networks, enhancing digital skills across the population, and the digitisation of both public services and private businesses.

The social component also continues to play a prominent role. The revised document maintains efforts to modernise the education system, improve access to long-term care, and expand healthcare services.

In terms of next steps, the Council of the EU is expected to approve the Commission’s assessment within four weeks, following standard procedure.

To date, Bulgaria has received €1.37 billion through the Recovery and Resilience Facility as part of its initial disbursement. Future tranches of funding will depend on the country's progress in implementing the reforms and investments outlined in the updated plan.