Commission supports reform projects in Member States for more jobs and sustainable growth

Commission approved 226 projects in all 27 Member States that will support their efforts in designing and implementing national reforms to enhance growth. These support actions are delivered in the framework of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and will have a total budget of €102.6 million for the year 2021 to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Reforms are necessary to better the environment for businesses, reinforce the healthcare systems, strengthen social and educational systems and overall enhance the resilience of Member States and stakeholders when facing difficult challenges and global crises. The Technical Support Instrument is a powerful tool that can enable Member States to carry out the reforms they need for a sustainable growth.”

The TSI is the Commission’s main instrument to provide technical support to reforms in the EU. It is part of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 and of the Recovery Plan for Europe. It builds on the success of its predecessor, the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP), which since 2017 has provided more than 1.000 technical support projects in all Member States.

Reforms eligible for TSI support include, yet are not limited to, public administration, governance, tax policies, business environment, financial sector, labour market, education systems, social services, health care, green transition – e.g. the Renovation Wave - and digital services. Strengthening the institutional and administrative capacity to design and implement reforms and investments is essential to foster resilience and underpin recovery.

With an increased budget of €864 million over the period 2021-2027, the TSI can also provide technical support to help Member States prepare and implement the Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs), thus ensuring that they are better equipped to access financing of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). In total, more than 60% of the pre-selected TSI projects for 2021 are related to the implementation of the RRPs, while 30% focus on the Green Deal and 44% on the digital transition.

TSI support also helps Member States in effectively addressing the challenges identified in the Country-specific Recommendations.

*Source: European Commission