The European Commission approved this Tuesday a set of 151 reform projects in the 27 Member States, 18 in Portugal, for financing in 2023, within the framework of the Technical Assistance Instrument (IAT), in a budget of 115 million euros.
According to a statement from the community executive, the IAT should support all Member States “in the preparation, design and implementation of a maximum of 326 innovative reforms in 2023”, taking advantage of the success of the previous Structural Reform Support Program.
Projects eligible for IAT support in Portugal include, among other sectors, public administration, the financial sector, education systems, social services, support for vulnerable children, and ecological transition.
At a press conference, the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, stressed that “in 2023, the IAT will be essential to contribute to a competitive economy with zero net emissions, strengthen the skills and capacities of public administrations and revitalize communities at the regional and local level.
The Technical Assistance Instrument is the EU programme, included in the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, which makes available to Member States specific technical knowledge to design and implement reforms.
The support is provided on demand and does not require co-financing from the 27 and is presented by Brussels as “an important pillar of the EU initiative to help Member States mitigate the economic and social consequences of the crisis caused by the Covid -19”.
Support can take the form, for example, of strategic and legal advice, studies, training and expert field visits, covering any stage of the reform process, from preparation and design to development and implementation of the reforms.
For the seven years of validity, the IAT has a budget of 864 million euros.
Source: TSF
