52021PC0608

As a result of this investment, 300 automatic and autonomous surface meteorological stations and 100 agro-meteorological stations shall be acquired and made operational by 31 December 2025. In addition, information and communication technology for the integration of the additional meteorological stations in the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN) shall be made operational by 30 June 2026.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

A.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
1	Reform 1. Strengthening the regulatory framework for the sustainable management of the water and wastewater sector and accelerating public access to quality services under European directives	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 on water supply and sewerage	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law				Q4	2021	Entry into force of the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 on water supply and sewerage which shall: -Enable approval of the tariff strategy of the regional water and sewerage operator by the general meeting of the Intercommunal Development Associations (IDAs), on the basis of the special mandate received from the local administrative units. Through this change, the time needed for the approval of the tariff strategy shall be reduced significantly which shall enable the extension of the water and wastewater service infrastructure. -Oblige local public administration authorities to keep records of natural and legal persons that do not discharge waste water into the public sewerage network and send the list of such persons to the National Environmental Guard annually. -Oblige users to connect to existing public sewerage systems if they do not have an appropriate individual collection and treatment system. -Allow to organise, where appropriate, the provision of the water service only, on the condition that the collection of wastewater is done through individual collection and treatment systems that shall ensure the same level of environmental protection as centralised collection and treatment systems. - Ensure the exceptional nature of adequate individual systems, which shall only address situations where centralised systems are not technically and economically feasible. -Prohibit the direct discharge of untreated wastewater from appropriate individual systems into the environment. -Develop criteria for authorization, construction, registration/record, operation and maintenance of appropriate individual systems.
2	Reform 1. Strengthening the regulatory framework for sustainable management of water and waste water sector and accelerating people’s access to quality services under European directives	Milestone	Entry into force of the law approving the national programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law for the First Connection to Water and Sanitation programme				Q1	2022	Entry into force of the law approving the national programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation, which shall support families and single people on low incomes (who have average monthly net cash income below the gross national minimum wage guaranteed per family member) to pay the costs incurred for connection to the water supply and sewerage system. Low income households shall be identified by the local authorities. The First Connection Programme shall then finance, through the Environmental Fund Administration, the connection works for the identified families contracted by the local authorities.
3	Reform 1. Strengthening the regulatory framework for the sustainable management of the water and waste water sector and accelerating people’s access to quality services under European directives	Milestone	Implementation agreements signed with the local authorities participating in the First Connection to Water and Sanitation Programme	Implementation agreements signed with the local authorities participating in the First Connection to Water and Sanitation Programme				Q4	2022	The Environmental Fund Administration shall sign the implementation agreements with the local authorities participating in the First Connection to Water and Sanitation Programme.
4	Reform 2. Reconfiguration of ANAR’s current economic mechanism to ensure the modernisation and maintenance of the national water management system and the proper implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive	Milestone	Entry into force of the law introducing amendments to Water Law No 107/1996	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of a legislative act for amendments to Water Law no 107/1996				Q3	2024	On the basis of the studies carried out, legislative amendments to Water Law No 107/1996 shall be adopted and enter into force to regulate the new economic mechanism for water resources in Romania. The new mechanism shall improve the correlation between ANAR’s (Romanian Waters Administration) regulated water revenue system and the costs for each category of water users to which ANAR provides the necessary water volumes, in accordance with the ecological flow requirements.
5	Investment 1. Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalent, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	Target	Built and operational water distribution networks		Kilometres (km)	0	400	Q3	2024	At least 400km of water distribution networks shall be built and made operational in the municipalities located in agglomerations prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives and in compliance with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in Milestone 1.
6	Investment 1. Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalent, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	Target	Built and operational water distribution networks		Kilometres (km)	400	1 600	Q2	2026	A total of 1 600km of water distribution networks shall be built and made operational in the municipalities located in agglomerations prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives and in compliance with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in Milestone 1.
7	Investment 1. Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalent , prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	Target	Sewage networks built and operational		Kilometres (km)	0	300	Q3	2024	At least 300km of sewage network shall be built and made operational in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalents (l.e), prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with the European Directives and in compliance with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in Milestone 1.
8	Investment 1. Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalent, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	Target	Built and operational sewage networks built and operational in agglomerations prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with the European Directives.		Kilometres (km)	300	2 500	Q2	2026	At least 2 500km of sewage network shall be built and made operational in total in agglomerations of more than 2000 population equivalents (l.e), prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with the European Directives and in compliance with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in Milestone 1.
9	Investment 2. Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	Target	Individual or other appropriate systems built and operational in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent		Number	0	1 000	Q4	2023	At least 1 000 individual or other appropriate systems shall be built and made operational to relieve the load in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalents that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect natural protected areas.
10	Investment 2. Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	Target	Individual or other appropriate systems built and operational in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent.		Number	1 000	12 900	Q2	2026	At least 12 900 in total individual or other appropriate systems shall be built and made operational to relieve the load in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalents that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect natural protected areas.
11	Investment 2. Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent which prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect natural protected areas	Target	Built and operational sewage network in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalent.		Kilometres (km)	0	100	Q2	2024	At least 100km of sewage network in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalents shall be built and operational and be compliant with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in milestone 1.
12	Investment 2. Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	Target	Built and operational sewerage networks in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalent		Kilometres (km)	100	400	Q2	2026	At least 400km in total of sewage network in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalents shall be built and operational and be compliant with the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 set out in milestone 1.
13	Investment 3. Supporting the connection of the low-income population to existing water and sewerage networks	Target	Households connected to water and sewerage networks through the National Programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation		Number	0	88 400	Q2	2026	At least 88 400 additional households shall be connected to water and sewerage through the National Programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation.
14	Investment 4.1 Rehabilitation of existing lines of defence in accordance with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Floods Risk Management	Target	Rehabilitated flood defence lines in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management		Kilometres (km)	0	100	Q4	2024	At least 100km of flood defence lines shall be rehabilitated in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management. Rehabilitation works shall be prioritised on the basis of flood prevention and protection plans, and shall consist of fillings from local material extracted from the dyke-riverbank areas, followed by grass coverings.
15	Investment. 4.1. Rehabilitation of existing lines of defence in accordance with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Floods Risk Management	Target	Rehabilitated flood defence lines in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management		Kilometres (km)	100	510	Q1	2026	At least 510km in total of flood defence lines shall be rehabilitated in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management. Rehabilitation works shall be prioritised on the basis of flood prevention and protection plans, and shall consist of fillings from local material extracted from the dyke-riverbank areas, followed by grass coverings.
16	Investment 4.2. Rehabilitation of existing accumulations that require emergency interventions for safe operation	Milestone	Adoption of project designs by Government Decision/Ministerial Order, as applicable	Adoption of Government Decision/Ministerial Order, as applicable				Q2	2023	Subject to the outcome of the feasibility studies for 30 dams, the project designs for the rehabilitation of 20 existing dams, for which there are no feasible alternatives to reduce flood risk, shall be adopted by Government Decision/ Ministerial Order, as applicable (depending on the size of the investment). The feasibility studies shall include, in particular, an assessment and comparison of benefits and impacts of alternatives to the refurbishment of the dams, in order to prevent flood risks, including the possible removal of dams and their replacement by nature-based solutions. This benefit and impact analysis shall assess both the benefits expected from the different options in the long-term, in order to prevent flood risks and taking into account in particular predictions regarding future risks of floods, and the environmental outcomes. The project shall have the objective of ensuring the safe operation of dams, reducing the risk of flooding, and protecting water bodies and biodiversity through measures to ensure fish migration, ecological flow, and preventing the eutrophication of water bodies. It shall be in line with the National Flood Risk Management Strategy and applicable Flood Risk Management Plans, in compliance with Directive 2007/60/EC (Floods Directive). Any measures identified in the framework of the Environmental Impact Assessment, the assessment under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive), and the Appropriate Assessment under Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive) as necessary to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be integrated into the project design and strictly complied with at the stages of construction, modernisation, operation and decommissioning of the infrastructure, including through the implementation of the required mitigation measures. Deterioration of the ecological status of the affected water bodies shall be avoided and the measure shall not prevent the improvement of the ecological status or potential of the affected water bodies. Where water is abstracted, a relevant permit shall be granted by the relevant authority, specifying conditions to avoid deterioration and ensure that affected water bodies remain in good ecological status, in accordance with the requirements of Water Framework Directive and evidenced by latest relevant supporting data. Water abstraction shall be avoided where the concerned water bodies (surface or ground waters) are, or projected (in the context of intensifying climate change) to be in less than good status or potentially good status.
17	Investment 4.2. Rehabilitation of existing accumulations that require emergency interventions for safe operation	Target	Existing dams rehabilitated		Number	0	20	Q1	2026	20 existing dams, for which revised feasibility studies concluded that there are no feasible alternatives to reduce flood risks, shall be rehabilitated, in accordance with the requirements set out in milestone 16 and fully respecting the results and conditions set by the comprehensive and cumulative EIA that shall have been completed in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU (EIA Directive), as well as relevant assessments in the context of Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive) and the Appropriate Assessment under Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive), including the implementation of required mitigation measures. For the dams where removal and replacement by nature-based solutions has been identified as the best option, based on the outcome of the feasibility studies, further studies shall be finalised in order to assess dismantling options. Good ecological status/potential of the relevant water bodies in accordance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive shall be achieved and evidenced by latest relevant supporting data, and any deterioration shall be avoided.
18	Investment 5. Appropriate endowment of river basin administrations for flood monitoring, prevention and emergency response	Target	River Basin Administrations equipped with machinery for rough access and intervention, amphibious access and transport of mobile bags/dikes in hard-to-reach areas, drones equipped with LIDAR/Flir/photogrammetry sensors, geo-electroresistive/georadar technologies of dyke bodies as well as hardware and software infrastructure		Number	0	11	Q3	2023	11 River Basin Administrations shall be equipped with the following: -machinery for rough terrain access and intervention, amphibious access and transport of mobile sand bags/dikes in hard-to-reach areas. In order to ensure compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C 58/01), vehicles to be purchased shall have specific emissions of CO2, as defined in Article 3(1), point (h), of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, that are lower than 50gCO2/km; -drones equipped with LIDAR/Flir/photogrammetry sensors, -geo-electro resistive/geo radar technologies of dyke bodies; -hardware and software infrastructure for data analysis and data storage collected by the above-mentioned equipment, in order to support and improve flood prevention and response to emergency situations.
19	Investment 6. Implementation of the water cadastre	Milestone	Water cadastre developed and operationalised	Water cadastre operational				Q4	2025	The water cadastre shall be developed and operationalised by: - procuring Digital Terrain Model (DTM)/Digital Surface Model (DSM) at national level, based on satellite information which shall be made available to all State authorities; - software development for determination of river bed modification (erosion sedimentation process), gravel extraction monitoring and land slide potential in the areas of dam-lake ensemble; - semi-automatic digitisation and delineation of minor river beds based on DTM/DSM ortho-photo and satellite imagery.
20	Investment 7. Extension of the national observation network of the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)	Target	Purchased and operational meteorological stations		Number	0	400	Q4	2025	The network of autonomous surface automatic meteorological stations shall be extended with the acquisition and operationalisation of 300 automatic and autonomous surface meteorological stations and 100 agro-meteorological stations.
21	Investment 7. Extension of the national observation network of the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)	Milestone	Operational information and communication technology system for the integration of the additional meteorological and agro-meteorological stations in the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)	National Meteorological System (SIMIN) integrated with the additional stations operational				Q2	2026	The Information and communication technology for the integration of the additional meteorological stations in the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN) shall be made operational.

B.COMPONENT 2: Forests and biodiversity protection

The objective of the component is to harmonise national forest management practices with those on preserving biodiversity and protecting the environment and ensuring a transition to a climate-neutral Europe by creating new areas covered by forests and restoring degraded habitats.

The component is comprised of two reforms and five investments.

The measures included in the component are expected to address some challenges highlighted by the country-specific recommendation to focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on environmental infrastructure among others (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019 and country-specific recommendation 3, 2020).

B.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation

The objective of the reform is to ensure a clear and robust strategic and regulatory framework for the implementation of sustainable forest policies that support climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The reform shall consist of the following actions:

(1) Completion of independent studies on weaknesses in governance, both institutional and regulatory, and implementation of the provisions of the current forestry legislation (by 30 June 2022);

(2) Adoption of the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030 on the basis of the recommendations of the assessment performed under (1) above (by 30 September 2022);

(3) Adoption and entry into force of amended Ministerial Ordinances laying down the binding rules for afforestation and reforestation foreseen in the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030 adopted under (2) (by 30 September 2023);

(4) Adoption and entry into force of legislative acts amending and supplementing the existing legislation on forests aimed at streamlining the legal framework, combatting illegal logging and improving forest management (by 30 June 2023).

The reform shall be supported with two investments – Investment 1 and 2.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Investment 1. Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests

The objective of the investment is to create new forests and areas with forest vegetation in areas vulnerable to climate change through land identification and assessment, financing of afforestation, plantation care, increase of the forest vegetation area along communication routes and within urban agglomerations (urban forests including mini-forests) around municipalities and between fields with agricultural crops, as well as other protective forest curtain categories.

As a result of this investment, a total of 56 700ha of new areas shall be afforested or reforested and a total of 3 150 000 m2 of new areas of urban forests shall be created, in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy, adopted under Reform 1.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 2. Development of modern production capacities of forest reproduction material

The objective of the investment is to develop sufficient reproductive production capacities (tree species and ecotypes) that are suitable for the future climatic conditions of Romania.

As a result of this investment, at least 90 new and renovated tree nurseries shall be made operational, in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy adopted under Reform 1.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2024.

B.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
22	Reform 1. Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	Milestone	Adoption of the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030	Adoption of the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030				Q3	2022	National Forest Strategy 2020-2030 shall be adopted. The Strategy shall, on the basis of the recommendations of the independent studies, set out binding rules for afforestation and reforestation as follows: a. Requirements for species and ecotypes to be climate-resilient and without negative impact on biodiversity. The strategy shall respond to the need to have updated guidelines on tree planting in Romania and shall create safeguards, in particular, to exclude the use or release of invasive alien species b. Requirements for the production of reproductive material to target tree species and ecotypes that are suitable for Romania’s future projected climatic conditions in sufficient quantities with the involvement of the private sector, and for measures to discourage the creation of commercial nurseries for short rotation or monoculture production. c. Requirements for afforestation to contribute positively to the objectives of biodiversity conservation, water management and soil protection by prohibiting afforestation or reforestation on agricultural land with high nature value, grassland or wetlands, excluding habitat restoration. d. Requirements for preventive measures that increase the natural absorption capacity of the soil to be included in forest management activities and specific climate change adaptation requirements to ensure that forest management is based on species monitoring. e. Requirements for urban afforestation to be achieved through a landscape level approach that contributes to strengthening connectivity with natural or semi-natural areas (such as forests or agricultural areas) with a focus on linking habitats with green infrastructure and ecological corridors. f. Requirements for afforestation and reforestation projects to be carried out in areas exposed and vulnerable to climatic hazards, in particular to drought and floods, and where appropriate afforestation or reforestation reduces the resulting risks. g. The Strategy shall set out sustainability criteria for forest biomass for energy use. h. The Strategy shall include specific actions to tackle illegal logging, such as a full implementation of SUMAL including logging monitoring through remote-sensing, strengthening of the sanctions regime, and other measures as appropriate. i. The Strategy shall also include concrete measures for protecting forest habitats and species, and particularly the alignment of forestry norms with biodiversity considerations.
23	Reform 1. Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	Milestone	Entry into force of amended Ministerial Ordinances laying down binding rules for afforestation and reforestation foreseen in the National Forestry Strategy 2020-2030	Provision in the Ministerial Ordinances indicating the entry into force of the amendments				Q3	2022	Entry into force of the following amended Ministerial Ordinances (MO) in line with the binding rules for afforestation and reforestation foreseen in the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030: a.Order no. 766/2018 regarding the elaboration and amendment of forest management plans, including of the provisions for land use of forest land, as well as of the Methodology regarding the approval of annual windthrow harvesting quotas. b.Order no. 1648/2000 on the approval of technical rules on compositions, schemes and technologies for forest regeneration and afforestation of degraded land c.Order no. 1649/2000 on the approval of the Technical Norms for the care and management of stands d.Order no. 1650/2000 on the approval of the Technical Norms on the choice and application of treatments e.Order no. 1653/2000 regarding the approval of the Technical Norms regarding the annual control of regenerations f.Order no. 1672/2000 regarding the approval of the Technical Norms for forest management
24	Reform 1. Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative acts amending and supplementing the existing legislation on forests	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative acts				Q2	2023	Entry into force of the following legislative acts, aimed at streamlining the legal framework, combatting illegal logging and improving forest management: (i) New Forestry Code, setting out amendments to the criminal penalty system; (ii) Emergency Ordinance No 85/2006 establishing the methods for assessing damage to forest vegetation in forests and beyond; (iii) Law No 171/2010 on the sanctioning of forest offences, establishing calculation methods for the environmental and financial damage caused by illegal logging and other forest crime, (iv) Other government decisions to combat illegal logging and improve forest management: Amendments to Government Decision No 743/2015, Government Decision No 1076/2009, Government Decision No 229/2009, Government Decision No 497/2020;
25	Investment 1. Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	Target	New areas of afforested or reforested land		ha	0	25 000	Q4	2023	New areas of afforested or reforested land (at least 25 000 ha), in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy: a. Only species and ecotypes that are resilient to the future projected impacts of climate change shall be used and they shall have no adverse impacts on biodiversity. The use of non-native species shall only be allowed where it is demonstrated that their use leads to favourable and appropriate ecosystem conditions (such as climate, soil, vegetation areas, fire resilience) and that the native species present are no longer adapted to future modelled climatic conditions and pedo-hydrological conditions. b. Only tree species and ecotypes that are suitable for future projected climate conditions for Romania shall be used; c. Afforestation shall contribute positively to the objectives of biodiversity conservation, water management and soil protection. Afforestation shall not take place on agricultural land of high nature value, grassland or wetlands, unless the aim of the intervention is to restore habitats. d. Afforestation or reforestation projects shall be carried out in areas that are exposed and vulnerable to climate hazards, in particular to droughts and floods. e. Afforestation and reforestation projects shall be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure, if determined in the EIA screening procedure; and forest management plans relevant for the afforestation and reforestation actions shall undergo a full Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure (environmental report), in particular if they affect protected habitats and/or species.
26	Investment 1. Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	Target	New areas of afforested or reforested land		ha	25 000	56 700	Q2	2026	New areas of afforested or reforested land (total 56 700 ha), in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy, and in accordance with the requirements specified in Target 25.
27	Investment 1. Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	Target	New areas of urban forests created.		m2	0	500 000	Q4	2023	New areas of urban forest (at least 500 000 m2), in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy: a. Only species and ecotypes that are resilient to the future projected impacts of climate change shall be used and they shall have no adverse impacts on biodiversity. The use of non-native species shall only be allowed where it is demonstrated that their leads to favourable and appropriate ecosystem conditions (such as climate, soil, vegetation areas, fire resilience) and that the native species present are no longer adapted to future modelled climatic conditions and pedo-hydrological conditions. b. Only species and ecotypes that are suitable for future projected climate conditions for Romania shall be used; c. Urban afforestation shall be carried out by taking a landscape-level approach that strengthens connections with natural or semi-natural areas (such as forests or agricultural areas) with a focus on connecting habitats through green infrastructure and ecological corridors. The selection of species and ecotypes shall take into account their role in cleaning the air and providing other ecosystem services to urban areas. d. Afforestation shall contribute positively to the objectives of biodiversity conservation, water management and soil protection. Afforestation shall not take place on agricultural land of high nature value, grassland or wetlands, unless the aim of the intervention is to restore habitats. e. Afforestation or reforestation projects shall be carried out in areas that are exposed and vulnerable to climate hazards, in particular to droughts and floods.
28	Investment 1. Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	Target	New areas of urban forests created		m2	500 000	3 150 000	Q2	2026	New areas of urban forests (total 3 150 000 m2), in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the Forest Strategy, and in accordance with the requirements specified in Target 25.
29	Investment 2. Development of modern production capacities of forest reproduction material	Target	New and renovated tree nurseries operational (established or rehabilitated)		Number	0	90	Q3	2024	New and renovated tree nurseries operational (at least 90), in compliance with the legal requirements laid down in the National Forest Strategy. The production of reproductive material shall target tree species and ecotypes that are suitable for Romania’s future projected climatic conditions.

B.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 2. Reform of the management system of protected natural areas for the coherent and effective implementation of the European Biodiversity Strategy

The objective of this reform is to operationalise the current framework for designating nature protected areas, in particular through the establishment of a mechanism to link legislation specific to the various sectors with an impact on biodiversity, namely education, agriculture, forestry, hunting, tourism, spatial organisation, transport and energy.

This shall be attained through the adoption and entry into force of two legislative acts:

(1) legislative act setting up the inter-institutional committee to analyse the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity and to draw up and promote proposals to amend or supplement the legal framework in light of up-to-date information on the distribution and dynamics of the conservation status of species and habitats (by 30 June 2022);

(2) legislative act modifying the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity, with the aim of ensuring that the existing legal framework in the various relevant sectors does not affect/restrict the implementation of the conservation measures in the management plans of the nature protected areas (by 30 June 2025). The legislative act shall be based on the proposals of the committee established under (1).

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment 3. Update of approved management plans and identification of potential areas for strict protection in natural terrestrial and marine habitats in order to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030

The investment consists of two sub-investments.

The objective of the first sub-investment (Investment 3.1) is to update approved management plans. The objective of the second sub-investment (Investment 3.2) is to identify potential areas for strict protection in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

As regards the update of existing management plans, as a result of the investment, at least 250 management plans of nature protected areas shall be reviewed and updated in accordance with EU legislation by 30 June 2026.

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

As regards the strictly protected areas, two legislative acts shall be adopted and enter into force: (1) legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas identified in Natura 2000 protected areas with existing management plans or including primary and old-growth forests (by 31 December 2023); and (2) legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas identified in Natura 2000 protected areas without existing management plans and in other areas (by 31 December 2025).

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 4. Integrated investments for the ecological reconstruction of habitats and the conservation of species related to meadows, aquatic and water-dependent areas

This investment consists of five sub-investments.

The objective of the first sub-investment (Investment 4.1) is to restore connectivity of watercourses through the removal of obstacles in watercourses and as result contributing to the restoration of lateral connectivity of water-dependent aquatic habitats and species, in line with the applicable management plans of the protected natural areas. As a result of this sub-investment, the connectivity of 1 700ha of riparian habitats shall be restored

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

The second sub-investment (Investment 4.2) aims at rebuilding grassland habitats in the protected natural areas. As a result of this sub-investment, at least 2 800 ha of grassland habitats shall be ecologically restored.

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

The third sub-investment (Investment 4.3) aims at reducing eutrophication and maintaining biological diversity of Danube Delta lakes. The actions to be covered under this sub-investment include regulation of water level in two lakes, designing and achieving the optimum profile of lakes’ boundaries, decolourisation, bank consolidation, maintenance works, felling for regeneration of vegetation and trees in the perimeter, removal of timber and beaches that obscure water circulation and induce sedimentation, monitoring of species and habitats in the area, and small-scale run-off works for optimal water circulation. As a result of this sub-investment, at least 100ha of lake areas shall have benefitted from the removal of aquatic plants, on the basis of the updated feasibility study (June 2021).

The implementation of this investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

The fourth sub-investment’s (Investment 4.4) objective is to develop a wild sturgeon monitoring system along the Lower Danube (1 500km), in conjunction with AI, in order to fight its poaching. As a result of this sub-investment, a network for monitoring, communication and transmission of wild sturgeon data shall be made operational. It is expected that this sub-investment does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, vehicles to be purchased shall have specific emissions of CO2, as defined in Article 3(1), point (h), of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, that are lower than 50gCO2/km. Water transport vessels to be purchased shall correspond to the best-available technology from an environmental point of view.

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 30 September 2024.

Finally, the objective of the fifth sub-investment (Investment 4.5) is to modernise public access and visitors’ infrastructure of the Danube Delta in order to reduce the pressure on habitats and species. As a result of this sub-investment, 10 visiting centres shall be constructed, aimed at alleviating the pressure of tourism on habitats by channelling and monitoring tourist flows to a network of 10 visiting centres associated with 40 observation points appropriately equipped for the needs of all categories of visitors. The construction of the visiting centres shall use environmentally friendly technologies, ecosystem-based approaches, and materials in a traditional way to the community architecture of the Danube Delta.

The implementation of this sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 5. Integrated flood risk mitigation systems in forest river basins

The objective of the investment is to reduce flood risk in order to protect people, infrastructure and socio-economic objectives in risk areas, as well as to protect the environment and biodiversity through relevant environmental measures, in particular those relating to ensuring fish migration and ensuring ecological flow.

The investment shall be carried out in two steps:

(1) adoption of the project design for the modernisation works for flood protection, which shall include: (i) restoration of at least 6 damaged alluvium retention structures to install longitudinal measures (fish ladders and ecological flow); (ii) construction of at least 30 new alluvial structures, including fish ladders and ecological flow, with a maximum height of 5 m; (iii) restoration of at least 4ha of land through reforestation, weeding, or building of twig fences; and (iv) restoration of at least 30km of torrent bed. This implementation of this step shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

(2) completion of modernisation works for flood protection on the basis of project design adopted under (1) above. The implementation of this step shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Any measures identified in the framework of the assessment under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive) as necessary to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be integrated into the project design and strictly complied with at all stages of construction, modernisation, operation and decommissioning. Deterioration of the ecological status of the affected water bodies shall be avoided and the measure shall not prevent the improvement of the ecological status or potential of the affected water bodies.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

B.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
30	Reform 2. Reform of the management system for protected natural areas through coherent and effective implementation of the European Biodiversity Strategy	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative act setting up the inter-institutional committee to analyse the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q2	2022	Entry into force of the legislative act setting up the inter-institutional committee to analyse the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity, namely education, agriculture, forestry, hunting, tourism, spatial organisation, transport and energy. The Committee shall be steered by the Ministry of the Environment, Waters and Forests and it shall include the line ministries and the subordinated authorities responsible for the relevant sectors: education, agriculture, forestry, hunting, tourism, spatial organisation, transport and energy. The committee shall prepare proposals to revise the legal framework in the light of up-to-date information on the distribution and dynamics of the conservation status of species and habitats.
31	Reform 2. Reform of the management system for protected natural areas through coherent and effective implementation of the European Biodiversity Strategy	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative act modifying the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q2	2025	Entry into force of the legislative act modifying the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity. The objective of these legislative amendments shall be to ensure that the existing legal framework in the various relevant sectors does not affect/restrict the implementation of the conservation measures in the management plans of the nature protected areas. The legislative act shall be based on the proposals of the committee in the light of up-to-date information on the distribution and dynamics of the conservation status of species and habitats.
32	Investment 3.1 Update of approved management plans	Target	Nature protected areas with updated management plans entered into force		Number	0	100	Q1	2025	Nature protected areas (at least 100) with updated management plans shall enter into force. Priority shall be given to the areas potentially impacted by infrastructure projects for which Romania has committed, under the relevant EU legislation, to further collect monitoring data in view of defining site specific conservation objectives for habitats and species, including migratory bird species.
33	Investment. 3.1 Update of approved management plans	Target	Nature protected areas with updated management plans entered into force		Number	100	250	Q2	2026	At least 250 nature protected areas with updated management plans entered into force. Priority shall be given to the areas potentially impacted by infrastructure projects for which Romania has committed, under the relevant EU legislation, to further collect monitoring data in view of defining site specific conservation objectives for habitats and species, including migratory bird species.
34	Investment 3.2 Identification of potential areas for strict protection in natural terrestrial and marine habitats in order to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas (identified in Natura 2000 protected areas with existing management plans or including primary and old-growth forests)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of legislative act				Q4	2023	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas. The act shall be based on the analyses/studies and mapping of the demarcation of areas proposed for non-intervention (strictly protected), that are necessary to substantiate a proposal for a legislative act, based on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The legislative act shall designate strictly protected areas identified in Natura 2000 protected areas with existing management plans or including primary and old-growth forests.
35	Investment 3.2. Identification of potential areas for strict protection in natural terrestrial and marine habitats in order to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas (identified in Natura 2000 protected areas without existing management plans and in other areas)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of legislative act				Q4	2025	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas. The act shall be based on the analyses/studies and mapping of the demarcation of areas proposed for non-intervention (strictly protected), that are necessary to substantiate a proposal for a legislative act, based on the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. The legislative act shall designate strictly protected areas identified in Natura 2000 protected areas without existing management plans and in additional areas.
36	Investment 4.1. Removal of obstacles in watercourses in order to facilitate the restoration of connectivity of dependent habitats and species	Target	Riparian habitats with restored connectivity		ha	0	1 700	Q2	2026	Riparian habitats with restored connectivity (at least 1 700ha)
37	Investment 4.2 Reconstruction of grassland habitats in protected natural areas	Target	Grassland habitats ecologically restored		ha	0	2 800	Q2	2026	Grassland habitats (at least 2 800ha) ecologically restored.
38	Investment 4.3 Decolourisation of the Danube Delta lakes in order to reduce eutrophication and maintain biological diversity	Target	Lake areas that have benefitted from the removal of aquatic plants		ha	0	100	Q2	2026	Lake areas (at least 100ha) that have benefitted from the removal of aquatic plants, on the basis of the updated feasibility study (June 2021).
39	Investment 4.4 Implementation of a monitoring system for wild sturgeons along the Lower Danube	Milestone	Network for monitoring, communication and transmission of wild sturgeon data operational	Network is operational				Q3	2024	Network for monitoring, communication and transmission of wild sturgeon data operational. The measures shall develop a wild sturgeon monitoring system along the Lower Danube (1 500km), in conjunction with AI, with a view to fight poaching. In order to ensure compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C 58/01), vehicles to be purchased shall have specific emissions of CO2, as defined in Article 3(1), point (h), of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, that are lower than 50gCO2/km. Water transport vessels to be purchased shall correspond to the best-available technology from an environmental point of view.
40	Investment 4.5. Reconfiguration of the public access and visit infrastructure for the Danube Delta in order to reduce the pressure of tourism on habitats and species	Target	Visiting centres constructed to alleviate the pressure of tourism on habitats		Number	0	10	Q2	2026	10 visiting centres constructed, aimed at alleviating the pressure of tourism on habitats by channelling and monitoring tourist flows to a network of 10 visiting centres associated with 40 observation points appropriately equipped and equipped for the needs of all categories of visitors. The locations shall be selected in accordance with the criteria in the Management Plan for the Danube Delta Reservation which is currently under revision. The construction of the visiting centres shall use environmentally friendly technologies, ecosystem-based approaches, and materials in a traditional way to the community architecture of the Danube Delta
41	Investment 5. Integrated flood risk mitigation systems in forest river basins	Milestone	Adoption of project design	Adoption of project design				Q1	2023	The project design for the modernisation works for flood protection shall be adopted. It shall include: -Restoration of at least 6 damaged alluvium retention structures to install longitudinal measures (fish ladders and ecological flow); -Construction of at least 30 new alluvial structures, including fish ladders and ecological flow, with a maximum height of 5m; -At least 4ha of land restored through reforestation, weeding, or building of twig fences; -at least 30km of torrent bed restored. Any measures identified in the framework of the assessment under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive) as necessary to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be integrated into the project design and strictly complied with at the stages of construction, modernisation, operation and decommissioning. Deterioration of the ecological status of the affected water bodies shall be avoided and the measure shall not prevent the improvement of the ecological status or potential of the affected water bodies.
42	Investment 5. Integrated flood risk mitigation systems in forest river basins	Milestone	Completion of modernisation works for flood protection	Completion of modernisation of works for flood protection				Q2	2026	The project for modernisation of flood protection shall be completed, in accordance with the requirements set out in milestone 41.

C.COMPONENT 3: Waste management

The objective of the component is to accelerate the expansion and modernisation of waste management systems in Romania with a focus on separate collection, prevention, reduction, re-use and recovery to comply with the applicable EU legislation and transition to the circular economy.

The component is comprised of one reform and three investments.

The measures included in the component are expected to address some of the challenges highlighted by the country-specific recommendation to focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on environmental infrastructure among others (country-specific recommendations 2019 and 2020).

C.1. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 1. Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy

The objective of this reform is to create a strategic and legal framework for the transition to the circular economy by adopting the National Strategy for Circular Economy and an Action Plan, and amending certain legal acts related to waste management.

The implementation of this reform shall consist of the following steps:

(1) Adoption of the National Circular Economy Strategy to set the framework for the transformation of the Romanian economy towards a circular operation, covering the whole life cycle of products (by 31 September 2022);

(2) Entry into force of the legislative acts necessary for an operationalisation of a unitary waste management in accordance with the National Waste Management Plan, in particular legislations related to the treatment of waste, the sanitation services of municipalities and the fixing of tariffs of the sanitation services and the extended packaging producer responsibility (by 31 September 2022);

(3) Adoption of the Action Plan for the National Circular Economy Strategy defining the key implementing steps of the Strategy (referred under (1) above), the responsible authorities and a binding timeline of the actions (by 31 September 2023). All the actions assigned to the public authorities under the Strategy and the Action Plan shall be completed by 30 March 2026.

As a result of the reform, control and monitoring and the environmental quality parameters of the Romanian waste management system shall be improved and the level of separate waste collection shall be increased. A contribution of 4,5 percentage points to the 50% national recycling and preparation for reuse target by 2025 shall be attained by 30 June 2026.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 1 shall be accompanied by three investments – Investments 1, 2 and 3.

Investment 1. Development, modernisation and completion of integrated municipal waste management systems at county level or at city/municipality level

The objective of this investment is to develop and modernise the integrated waste management systems and infrastructure for the management of public waste at county or city/municipality level.

The investment shall contribute to reaching the new targets for the preparation, re-use and recycling of municipal waste under the Directive (EU) 2018/851 amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste. Investments shall be based on the National Waste Management Plan, County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan, and contribute to the recycling targets of the circular economy package.

The implementation of this investment shall include:

(a) establishment of voluntary waste collection centres, in order to ensure separate collection of household waste for a number of waste streams (I.1.a), as a result of which 565 voluntary collection centres shall be operational by 30 June 2026.

(b) establishment of digitalised eco-islands for separate collection of waste at local level, predominantly in apartment block areas (I.1.b), as a result of which 13 752 digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste shall be operational by 30 June 2026.

(c) integrated centres for urban agglomerations for separate waste collection (I.1.c), as a result of which integrated waste collection centres shall be operational in 15 urban agglomerations by 30 June 2026.

(d) construction of waste recycling facilities to meet the recycling targets of the circular economy package (I.1.d), as a result of which 26 waste recycling facilities shall be put in operation by 30 June 2026 to meet the recycling targets of the National Circular Economy Strategy.

The above investments (a-d) shall be in line with the provisions of the National Waste Management Plan, the County Waste Management Plans and the Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan, as applicable.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 2. Development of infrastructure for manure and other compostable agricultural waste management

The objective of the investment is to develop manure collection and recovery systems.

The investment shall primarily consist of the establishment of integrated communal systems for manure recovery, composting stations and compost management equipment for large farm communities, biogas systems and the purchase of equipment for the management of agricultural compost. The proposed investments aim to modernise infrastructure, reduce ammonia and methane emissions and reduce nitrate pollution.

As a result of the investment, 254 integrated systems for the collection of compostable agricultural waste shall be established and made operational by 30 June 2026.

The investment shall be in line with the National Waste Management Plan.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 3. Development of public monitoring, control and institutional capacities for waste management and pollution prevention

The objective of this investment is to equip the respective public authorities for waste management monitoring, control and reporting activities.

The investment shall be implemented through two strands of action:

(1) Equipping 43 National Environmental Guard County Commissioners with digital equipment (ICT system, truck scanning systems, dashcam and body-worn video cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles) for waste management monitoring and control activities (by 31 December 2024). As a result, 400 control missions shall be conducted by the National Environmental Guard Commissioners using the new digital equipment by 31 December 2025.

(2) Purchase and operationalisation of 513 air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment for the National Environmental Protection Agency to ensure collection, transmission, storage and enable reporting of data on pollutant concentrations in the environment (by 30 June 2025).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

C.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.		Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
						Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
43		Reform 1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	Milestone	The adoption of the National Circular Economy Strategy	Adoption of the National Circular Economy Strategy by Government Decision				Q3	2022	Adoption of the National Circular Economy Strategy, which shall be based on the recommendations of the ongoing Technical Support Instrument project. The strategy shall set out rules for the entire life cycle of products and define the following key elements: -regulatory, financial and information management methods and tools to support circular initiatives; -identification of sectors to be covered; -revision of environmental and economic incentives on waste in order to make recycling more convenient than landfilling and incineration; -guidelines for using the financial and management methods/tools in the respective sectors; -governance framework for collaboration between stakeholders (authorities, academia, the private sector, the non-profit sector and citizens). The National Circular Economy Strategy shall effectively contribute to the EU targets on waste recycling, in particular in recycling of municipal waste and the reduction of the high landfilling rates.
44	Reform 1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	Milestone	The adoption of the Action Plan for the National Circular Economy Strategy	Adoption of the Action Plan for the National Circular Economy Strategy by Government Decision of Romania				Q3	2023	The Action Plan shall define the key implementing steps of the Strategy adopted under milestone 43, the responsible authorities and a binding timeline for the identified actions based on the expert recommendations to be formulated within the Technical Support Instrument project. The plan shall include an adequate implementation monitoring system and corrective tools to ensure the achievement of the planned key actions.
45	Reform 1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	Milestone	Implementation of actions of the National Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan assigned to the public authorities	Implementation of actions in the National Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan assigned to the public authorities				Q1	2026	Completion of the implementation of all the actions foreseen in the National Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan and assigned to the public authorities.
46	Reform 1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative acts necessary for an operationalisation of a unitary waste management in accordance with the National Waste Management Plan	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative acts for waste management practice				Q3	2022	Entry into force of legislative acts necessary to consolidate compliant waste management in Romania, in particular through the governance measures on municipal waste management in the National Waste Management Plan, in order to achieve the waste management targets of the EU Waste Framework Directive. The following legislative acts shall enter into force: 1. Ordinance on waste regime, which shall regulate extended producer responsibility according to the Waste Framework Directive. The Ordinance shall also introduce severe penalties to discourage illegal landfilling, waste dumping and open air burning. 2. Ordinance for the amendment of Law 101/2006 (The Sanitation Law). 3. Amendment of the National Regulatory Authority for Community Public Utilities Services (ANRSC) Order 109/2007 on Sanitation Tariff Methodology. The Ordinance (No. 2) and the amended ANRSC Order (No. 3) shall regulate: -the full operationalization of the economic instruments (pay as you throw, landfill tax and extended producer responsibility); -the role of the National Regulatory Authority for Community Public Utilities Services as the national regulatory authority for municipal waste tariff policy; -the financial responsibilities of inter-community development associations with regard to the integrated waste management systems projects.
47	Reform 1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	Target	Contribution with 4,5% to the 50% national recycling and preparation for reuse target by 2025	Contribution with 4,5% to the 50% national recycling and preparation for reuse target		45,5	50	Q2	2026	A contribution of 4,5 percentage points by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan investments in municipal waste management to the national 50% recycling and preparation for reuse target of municipal waste to be achieved by 2025 (as defined in the Waste Framework Directive, (2008/98/EC amended by Directive (EU) 2018/851) and the 2011/753/EU Commission Decision of 18 November 2011 establishing rules and calculation methods for verifying compliance with the targets set in Article 11(2) of Directive 2008/98/EC). The contribution shall be calculated based on the volumes of municipal waste from infrastructure supported by the national recovery and resilience plan which shall be recycled in 2025. The contribution shall be calculated in relation to the 50% national recycling and preparation for reuse target set for 2025.
48	Investment 1.a Establishment of voluntary collection centres	Target	Voluntary collection centres established and operational		Number	0	250	Q3	2024	At least 250 voluntary collection centres established and operational, in line with National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plans. Voluntary collection centres are foreseen to service communities of approx. 50 000 inhabitants. The centres shall be located at the border or outside the Territorial Administrative Unit. The centres shall ensure the separate collection of household waste that cannot be collected in a door-to-door system, respectively recyclable waste and bio-waste that cannot be collected in individual bins, as well as special waste streams (bulky waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, used batteries, hazardous waste, construction and demolition waste). In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the vehicles purchased under this measure shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.
49	Investment 1.a Establishment of voluntary collection centres	Target	Voluntary collection centres established and operational		Number	250	565	Q2	2026	565 voluntary collection centres, established and operational, in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan.. Voluntary collection centres are foreseen to service communities of approx. 50 000 inhabitants. The centres shall be located at the border or outside the Territorial Administrative Unit. The centres shall ensure the separate collection of household waste that cannot be collected in a door-to-door system, respectively recyclable waste and bio-waste that cannot be collected in individual bins, as well as special waste streams (bulky waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, used batteries, hazardous waste, construction and demolition waste).
50	Investment 1.b Construction of digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste at local level	Target	Digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational		Number	0	7 000	Q4	2024	At least 7 000 digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational, in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan.. Digitised eco-islands shall be used to serve apartment blocks areas inside localities. Priority shall be given to communities with the highest needs in correlation with the County Waste Management Plans/ National Management Plan and complementary to Cohesion Policy investments based on the following criteria: -waste generation capacity in relation with the size of the locality (rank I municipalities, rank II municipalities and towns); -low current level of separate waste collection; -availability of existing waste treatment facilities. The digitized eco-islands shall ensure the separate collection of household waste, mainly in block areas, for the following waste streams collected separately: paper and cardboard waste, plastic waste, metal waste, glass waste, biowaste, residual waste. Each eco-island shall serve at least 200 inhabitants.
51	Investment 1.b Construction of digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste at local level	Target	Digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational		Number	7 000	13 752	Q2	2026	13 752 digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational, in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan. Digitised eco-islands shall be used to serve apartment blocks areas inside localities. Priority shall be given to communities with the highest needs in correlation with the County Waste Management Plans/ National Management Plan and complementary to Cohesion Policy investments based on the following criteria: -waste generation capacity in relation with the size of the locality (rank I municipalities, rank II municipalities and towns); -low current level of separate waste collection; -availability of existing waste treatment facilities. The digitized ecological islands shall ensure the separate collection of household waste, mainly in block areas, for the following waste streams collected separately: paper and cardboard waste, plastic waste, metal waste, glass waste, biowaste, residual waste. Each eco-island shall serve at least 200 inhabitants.
52	Investment 1.c Integrated centres for urban agglomerations concerning separate collection	Target	Integrated waste collection centres established and in operation in urban agglomerations		Number	0	7	Q4	2024	At least 7 integrated waste collection centres established and in operation in urban agglomerations, in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan. The locations shall ensure a coverage of the most populated regions as follows: -Bucharest (North side) and affiliated Ilfov region; -Bucharest (South side) and affiliated Ilfov region; -Constanta; -Galati and Braila; -Iasi; -Bacau; -Craiova; -Ploiesti; -Timisoara; -Cluj-Napoca; -Sibiu; -Brasov; -Baia Mare; -Targu Mures; -Buzau. The centres shall ensure the separate collection of household waste that cannot be collected in a door-to-door system, respectively recyclable waste and bio-waste that cannot be collected in individual bins, as well as special waste streams - bulky waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, used batteries, hazardous waste, construction and demolition waste. In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the vehicles purchased under this measure shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.
53	Investment 1.c Integrated centres for urban agglomerations concerning separate collection	Target	Integrated waste collection centres established and in operation in urban agglomerations		Number	7	15	Q2	2026	At least 8 additional integrated waste collection centres shall be established and in operation in urban agglomerations, in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan. The locations shall ensure a coverage of the most populated regions as follows: -Bucharest (North side) and affiliated Ilfov region; -Bucharest (South side) and affiliated Ilfov region; -Constanta; -Galati and Braila; -Iasi; -Bacau; -Craiova; -Ploiesti; -Timisoara; -Cluj-Napoca; -Sibiu; -Brasov; -Baia Mare; -Targu Mures; -Buzau. The centres shall ensure the separate collection of household waste that cannot be collected in a door-to-door system, respectively recyclable waste and bio-waste that cannot be collected in individual bins, as well as special waste streams - bulky waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, used batteries, hazardous waste, construction and demolition waste.
54	Investment 1.d Construction of waste recycling facilities to meet the recycling targets of the circular economy package	Target	Waste recycling facilities constructed and in operation		Number	0	26	Q2	2026	26 waste recycling facilities shall be constructed and put in operation to meet the recycling targets of the National Circular Economy Strategy and in line with the National Waste Management Plan/County Waste Management Plans and Bucharest Municipality Waste Management Plan. Support shall be provided to private economic operators investing in separately collected waste recycling facilities to reduce the environmental and population impact of waste, reduce resource consumption in order to promote sustainable economic development in all regions and achieve the recycling targets of the circular economy package. State-of-the-art projects, digitalised through their design of operation, monitoring and intervention, reducing the technological consumption of energy, technology transport and maintenance shall be prioritised. In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the vehicles purchased under this measure shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.
55	Investment 2 Development of infrastructure for manure and other compostable agricultural waste management	Target	Integrated systems for the collection of compostable agricultural waste, established and operational.		Number	0	254	Q2	2026	At least 254 integrated systems for the collection of compostable agricultural waste shall be established and made operational, in line with the National Waste Management Plan, as follows: -150 Communal integrated systems (communal platform, individual platforms for small and medium farmers, and customized equipment for compost management); -94 Communal integrated systems for communities with existing communal platform (individual platforms for small and medium farmers, and customized equipment for compost management); -5 Composting Systems for communities with large farms (composting station and customized equipment for compost management); -5 Biogas Systems for communities with very large farms (with electric capacities of at least 300KWh and heat capacities of at least 300KWth). The large farms and communities of farmers (communes and cities) shall be selected taking into consideration the best environmental positive impact versus the public cost of the investments, based on guidelines specifying clearly the selection criteria, including: -the number of animals, in order to prove the actual (not historical) source of pollution; -the concentration and trend of nitrates in underground waters; -availability of a proper site for construction; -positive cost-benefit analysis; demonstrating long time sustainability of the investment, including models of circular economy (with accent on biogas stations); -availability of financial resources for co-financing and for further operation of investments; -positive public consultations to demonstrate the social acceptance of the environmental investment. The small and medium scale farmers benefiting of small platforms shall live in the communities where manure management platforms are functional or new platforms shall be constructed and shall be the owners of the animals bred within those communities. In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the vehicles purchased under this measure shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.
56	Investment 3.a Monitoring and Control Equipment for the National Environmental Guard	Target	National Environmental Guard County Commissioners equipped with digital equipment for waste management monitoring and control activities		Number	0	43	Q4	2024	Operationalisation of equipment for 43 Commissioners of the Environmental Guard for waste management monitoring and control activities, in order to increase the traceability of waste, increase visibility on the real route of waste shipments and thus reduce the quantities of illegal waste transport. The following equipment shall be purchased: -1 ICT integrated system servicing the 43 Commissioners; -8 truck scanning systems; -271 dash cam video cameras; -16 unmanned Aerial Vehicles; -8 utility vehicles equipped with radio communication for the transport of monitoring equipment; -709 body worn Cameras. In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the vehicles purchased under this measure shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.
57	Investment 3.a Monitoring and Control Equipment for the National Environmental Guard	Target	400 control missions using the monitoring and control equipment		Number	0	400	Q4	2025	400 control missions conducted by the National Environmental Guard Commissioners using the digital equipment, acquired under milestone 56, for monitoring and control activities.
58	Investment 3.b Air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment for the National Environmental Protection Agency	Target	operationalisation of air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment		Number	0	513	Q2	2025	Air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment shall be procured and made operational. The equipment shall ensure collection, transmission, storage and enable reporting of data on pollutant concentrations in the environment. The purchase of this equipment shall only take place after the adoption of the National Air Control Programme (part of the Sustainable Transport component of the national recovery and resilience plan and estimated for adoption in June 2022) based on the needs foreseen in the programme.

D.COMPONENT 4: Sustainable Transport

This component of the recovery and resilience plan addresses several challenges related to sustainable transport to promote smart, safe and inclusive mobility in Romania. It should be seen in connection with the component 10 “Local Fund” which includes complementary measures for sustainability mobility in urban areas.

The objective of this component is to enhance the sustainability of Romanian transport sector by supporting its green and digital transition. The reforms supporting the investments include regulatory changes to incentivise zero-emission road transport, improve the governance of state-owned enterprises in transport sectors, improve road safety, promote clean public transport, promote modal shift to railways and inland waterways.

The reforms and investments shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendations conveyed to Romania in 2019 and 2020, on the need to: (i) “front-load mature public investment projects and promote private investment to foster the economic recovery” and “focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on sustainable transport” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020) while “taking into account regional disparities” (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019); (ii) “improve preparation and prioritisation of large projects and accelerate their implementation (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019).

It is expected that no measure in this component does significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). Investments in road infrastructure are focused on TEN-T core network, contribute to economic and social cohesion and are accompanied by significant reforms to decarbonise the road transport, develop alternative fuels infrastructure, improve road safety and promote clean public transport and modal shift.

D.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety

The reform aims to support the transition towards sustainable and smart mobility by developing and improving the strategic, legal and operational framework of the transport system in Romania. The proposed reform is linked to measures for sustainable urban mobility included in the component “Local Fund” so as to ensure complementarity and synergies with measures taken at local level.

The reform includes:

1.1 Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle

A legislative package shall implement a new taxation system in line with the polluter pays principle and other principles of environmental taxation. The package shall include (i) distance-based charging for heavy goods vehicles (lorries and other types of lorries) and (ii) , incentive schemes for fleet renewal (in particular small cars/coaches/buses) through scrapping schemes, in combination with taxation measures for the ownership of the most polluting passenger vehicles. The new charging system shall be implemented in a non-discriminatory manner.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure shall carry out an analysis to define more specifically the level of charging, in particular for heavy traffic, with the specific incentives for electric/hybrid vehicles, including light vehicles, the timing for the gradual introduction of such charges, the categories of vehicles to be included in the toll system, the level of pollution of passenger vehicles, the categories of roads and the coverage level of the integrated national road network in Romania. The additional revenue generated should be used for the maintenance of the road network and for new investments in sustainable transport.

The reform also aims at exceeding by at least 3 percentage points the minimum procurement targets of clean public vehicles set in the EU Clean Vehicles Directive.

The legislative package shall include measures to stimulate the use of zero-emission vehicles and fleet renewal programmes by individuals, private companies and public institutions, contributing to an increase of at least 100% in the number of zero-emission vehicles registered in Romania compared to the initial value in 2020, and the scrapping of 250 000 polluting vehicles (EURO 3 or below) by 30 June 2026.

An important element contributing to the sustainability of transport, in particular regarding air pollution reduction in urban areas and at country level, is the National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP), which should have been submitted to the Commission by April 2019 pursuant to the Directive (EU) 2016/2284, and which the Romanian authorities indicated would be approved by 30 June 2022 1 .

The legislative package approved by the Romanian Parliament shall enter into force by 30 June 2024 and the full operationalisation of the charging system by 30 June 2026.

1.2 Alternative fuels infrastructure

The objective of this reform is to develop the alternative fuels infrastructure for road vehicles, in particular additional electric recharging points shall be installed to reach at least 30 000 recharging points by 30 June 2026.

The investment supported by the RRF consists of financing at least 15 283 electric recharging points, of which 14 200 points shall be high power recharging points (allowing for a transfer of electricity to an electric vehicle with a power greater than 22kW) and 1 083 points shall be normal power recharging points (allowing for a transfer of electricity to an electric vehicle with a power of less than or equal to 22kW, excluding devices with a power of less than or equal to 3,7kW).

As regards public accessibility, the 13 200 electric recharging points included in the Local Fund component shall be accessible to the public, in accordance with point 7 of Article 2 of Directive 2014/94/EU, and 2 083 points (83 points in the Local Fund component and 2 000 points in the Renovation Wave component) shall be semi-public/private recharging points.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

1.3 Road safety

The reform consists of a National Road Safety Strategy which shall include the following new measures:

1. Safety inspection: the technical assessment to determine road safety shall be optimised; implementation and development of the work of technical expertise on motor vehicles; setting up research and expert laboratories covering methodologies for monitoring, inspection and testing of vehicles throughout their lifetime;

2. Development of databases on road safety features at testing stations and vehicle repair units; development of the methodology for data collection and the primary data collection base for the analysis of key road safety performance indicators;

3. Introduction of more stringent speed limits on dangerous sections, and increase of enforcement of penalties for offences;

4. Strategy on the elimination of black spots (hotspots) on the network of national roads and motorways. The identified 267 safety black spots (hotspots) shall be eliminated by 2030, of which 129 supported by the Plan by 30 June 2026.

This reform shall be implemented via secondary legislation and related entry into force of enforcement measures. These measures are complementary to measures for road safety in urban areas included in the “Local Fund” component.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

1.4 Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) strategy and legislative package

The objective of this reform is to develop the Intelligent Transport System to enhance the efficiency and safety of transport thanks to the digitalization of transport information.

The reform shall be implemented through the creation of a strategic document for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) which shall be approved by the Romanian Government. The ITS strategy shall be developed in conjunction with intermodal transport policies to serve the needs for efficient operation in multimodal nodes.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

1.5 Railways infrastructure development and rail traffic management

The objective of this reform is to strengthen the efficiency and competitiveness of the railways in Romania.

The strategy includes the modernisation and development objectives necessary to meet current and future mobility needs of people and goods, as well as identified requirements to increase the competitiveness of rail transport. At the same time, actions are planned to modernise the operation of the railway infrastructure in order to increase the performance of train traffic and to make its operation more efficient in order to limit the costs of rail transport.

The reform includes the ‘Strategy for the development of railway infrastructure 2021-2025’, approved at the end of 2020. This includes all maintenance, repairs and renewals necessary to rehabilitate the existing infrastructure and maintain it with the performance parameters necessary to support competitive rail transport at national level.

The measure shall include the Investment Plan 2020-2030, which shall prioritise rail investments on TEN-T and European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) implementation, with a mechanism with clear indicators and criteria for prioritising rail infrastructure investments, as well as the institutional arrangements necessary to implement this mechanism and prepare investment projects.

The measure also includes a strategy and action plan for the deployment of ERTMS over 2025-2030, including: clear measures for the deployment and certification of ERTMS for the TEN-T Core network in the medium and long term (horizon 2030); responsible actors; budget estimates; administrative capacity measures at national level for responsible bodies to fully manage the certification process for all sectors considered during their construction in order to ensure full operationalisation.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

1.6 Shipping strategy and integration with other modes of transport

The objective of this reform is to further develop the waterborne (inland waterways and ports) transport in Romania, in line with the EU Strategy on Sustainable and Smart Mobility.

The measure includes the adoption of the Shipping strategy and the planning of intervention measures for the development of the sector, integrated with other modes of transport, as well as the development and approval of the action plan for the implementation of the strategy.

An analysis of the current situation of Romanian waterways (both inland and maritime) and the current situation of Romanian ports in terms of infrastructure shall be carried out, focusing on how to improve the environmental performance of ships and ports, taking into account EU-wide requirements such as Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure. The strategy should consider measures to green all port operations (emissions, noise, pollution). In order to promote the navigability of the Danube in a sustainable way, an approach combining sustainable infrastructure, alternative fuels and digitalisation shall be developed, while taking into account the environmental sensitivity of the Danube. Proposals shall be made to amend the legal and institutional framework on how to manage waterborne infrastructure with the objectives of: integrating waterborne transport with other modes of transport, reducing the environmental impact of ports (maritime and inland) and shipping, drawing up plans to develop intermodal ports and increasing freight transport on the Danube by 15% by 2026 in a sustainable manner.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment 1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure

The objective of this investment is to “modernise” the railways lines (including rail replacement, sleeper, substrate, electrification, consolidation/construction of bridges/bridges, ERTMS level 2) in line with TEN-T standards, and to “renew” (replacement of rail, traverse, broken stone, thus bringing the line to constructive speed) and electrify specific railways sections. In addition, eleven “quick wins” investments are foreseen to remove railways speed restrictions, increase train speed and increase railway safety. “Quick wins” projects shall be implemented to ensure the viability of rail transport along the TEN-T corridors until their upgrading. In total, the investment shall deliver 315km of upgraded railway lines with a capacity increase of 30% and ERTMS 2 installed; 110km electrified railway lines; 2 426km (2 163km single track “quick wins” projects + 263km renewal of lines) of renewed railways with 15% increased speed (reaching an average speed of minimum 100km/h).

The investment also includes a portfolio of 17 electronic centralisation projects to be implemented through the national recovery and resilience plan, which have a balanced spatial distribution in Romania and represent genuine railway sections supplying the TEN-T corridors. The 17 electronic centralisation projects shall solve capacity problems for 111 railway stations over a total length of more than 973km. As a consequence, it is estimated on increase of traffic volumes by 10-15%. In addition, the proposed electronic centralisation projects shall remove road bottlenecks from level crossings by significantly reducing waiting times.

The implementation of the investments shall be completed by 30 June 2026, with 50% of the works completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 2. Railways rolling stock

The objective of this investment in new zero-emission and upgraded railways rolling stock is to increase the quality of public passenger transport services by rail and thus increasing the use of this type of sustainable transport with respect to road transport via modal shift.

New railways rolling stock shall be made available free of charge to rail passenger transport operators under public service contracts awarded in full compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

D.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
59	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	Milestone	Entry into force of the law for the implementation of a new distance-based charging system for heavy duty vehicles (trucks), and higher ownership taxes for most polluting passengers vehicles (cars/buses/coaches) based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle and green taxation principle	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law				Q2	2023	Legislative package for the implementation of a new distance-based charging system for heavy duty vehicles (trucks), and higher ownership taxes for most polluting passengers vehicles (cars/buses/coaches) based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle and green taxation principle. The new charging system for vehicles shall include: -specific level of distance-based charges and clear criteria for charging heavy duty vehicles in line with the “polluter pays” principle; -incentives for clean/low-emission vehicles and modes of transport; -a system of deterrents for the use of most polluting vehicles including through fiscal/financial measures by means of the levels of ownership taxes for private passenger vehicles; -using revenues to support road maintenance and new investment in sustainable transport; -shifting of 10% of road traffic (passengers and goods) to rail between 2020 and 2026; -timetable for the full operationalisation of the charging system by Q2-2026.
60	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	Milestone	Entry into force of the law to boost the use of clean vehicles and fleet renewal programmes by domestic users, private companies and public institutions	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law to boost the use of clean vehicles and fleet renewal programmes				Q2	2024	The law shall include financial and fiscal incentives to: -increase the number of zero-emission vehicles by at least 100% by 2025 compared to the initial value in 2020; -scrap at least 250 000 polluting vehicles (below EURO 3) between 2022 and Q2-2026.
61	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	Target	New clean vehicles procured by public entities, at least 3% above the thresholds of the Clean Vehicles Directive		Percentage (%)	0	3	Q4	2025	The target refers to the percentage of clean vehicles out of the total number of vehicles purchased by public institutions. The target is to exceed by at least 3 percentage points the minimum procurement targets for the share of clean vehicles out of the total number of vehicles by category set out in the Clean Vehicles Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1161 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 amending Directive 2009/33/EC) during the period 2021-2025. For clarity, this would mean a target of at least 21,7% for light duty vehicles, 9% for heavy duty vehicles and 27% for buses, given that the minimum procurement targets set out for Romania in the Clean Vehicles Directive are: 18,7% for light-duty vehicles, 6% for heavy-duty vehicles, 24% for buses.
62	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	Target	Scrapped polluting motor vehicles (EURO 3 or below)		Number	0	250 000	Q2	2026	At least 250 000 polluting vehicles (with emission standards EURO 3 or below) older than 15 years old shall be scrapped between 2022 and mid-2026.
63	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	Target	Increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles		Number	0	29 500	Q1	2026	The target refers to the increase in the number of zero-emission (electric and hydrogen, as defined in the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive 2014/94/EU) vehicles (M1 -passenger cars, N1 - light commercial vehicles; N2 and N3 - heavy-duty vehicles, based on UNECE standards) registered in Romania between end 2020 and end 2025. Official data for the end of 2025 shall be reported by National Statistics Institute by the end of Q1 2026 to the European Alternative Fuels Observatory for monitoring purposes.
64	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Alternative fuels infrastructure	Target	Electric recharging points installed at national level		Number	1 836	30 000	Q2	2026	The national target for electrical recharging points for zero-emissions road vehicles shall consist of: a.1 836 already existing recharging points b.2 896 high power (at least 50kW) recharging points (of which 264 electric charging points are proposed through the motorway network development projects financed by the RRF) shall be installed on the network of national roads/motorways, in accordance with the C.N.A.I.R. strategy for the installation of recharging stations for electric vehicles on the TEN-T network in Romania, by 2030 c.13 283 recharging points financed by the “Local Fund” component by the Ministry of Development (13 200 high power charging points and 83 normal power charging points) broken down as follows: -recharging points in municipalities of county residence: 4 000; -recharging points in other municipalities: 1 876; -recharging points in cities: 1 600; -recharging points in rural areas: 5 724. d.2 000 recharging points financed by the “Renovation Wave” component by the Ministry of Development (1 000 high power points and 1 000 normal power points); e.at least 10 000 other high and normal-power recharging points financed from national sources, other EU funding (including Cohesion Policy) and/or private sources (including through concessions). The location of these recharging points shall be in the areas established by the General Urban Plans/ Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans as areas for housing / mixed areas / service areas / commercial areas / transport areas (as close as possible to the inhabitants - to limit travel needs). These recharging points shall also be located in multimodal points to encourage commuters to use public transport. The recharging points shall be installed: 85-95% in publicly accessible/semi-public areas; 5-15% in private buildings.
65	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	Milestone	Adoption of the National Road Safety Strategy	Adoption of the Strategy by Government Decision (secondary legislation) and start of its implementation				Q2	2022	The National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 shall implement EU rules and guidelines as set out in the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 and the “Vision Zero”, with the objective to reduce the number of road fatalities by 2050 to close to zero. As an intermediate target, Romania is taking on the EU target of reducing the number of victims (deaths and serious injured) by 50% from 2019 baseline to 2030. The strategy shall be addressed in an integrated and multidisciplinary way to all actors involved in road safety and shall include: -enforcement of the rules governing compliance, higher penalties for breaches of the law; -reduction of speed limits in specific areas or roads depending on accidents data/risk analysis and best practices at EU level, introduction of speed management system and mandatory safety features, revision of traffic rules including priority for vulnerable users, -reduction of black/hot spots in both urban and inter-urban environments, including a specific investment action plan to reduce the number of black/hot spots by 129 by Q2-2026 compared to the initial 267 black/hot spots in 2021; -phasing out from the national register of old/deficient vehicles, increased safety inspections and checks; -education and training, information campaigns; -integration of the legislative system and reform of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). A strategic document for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) shall be approved by the Romanian government. The ITS strategy shall be developed in conjunction with intermodal transport policies to serve the needs for efficient operation in multimodal nodes. The entity responsible for the monitoring of the Road safety strategy implementation and the Key Performance Indicators shall be clearly defined and operationalised.
66	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	Milestone	Entry into force of the road safety law - legislation on monitoring, enforcement and sanctions on road safety offences	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law on road safety				Q4	2022	The following legislative changes promoting road safety shall be introduced: -enforcement of the rules governing compliance, higher penalties for breaches of the law; -monitoring of road offences by automatic equipment (video cameras, sensors); -reduction of speed limits in specific areas or roads depending on accidents data/risk analysis and best practices at EU level, introduction of speed management system and mandatory safety features, revision of traffic rules including priority for vulnerable users; -phasing out from the national register of old/deficient vehicles, increased safety inspections and checks. The overall goal for road safety shall aim for a 50% reduction of fatalities in road accidents by 2030 vs 2019, in line with the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030.
67	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	Target	Installed and functional equipment to increase speed enforcement and compliance with road safety rules		Number	0	1 800	Q4	2024	1 000 speed check systems, 300 mobile radars and 500 cameras shall be installed and functional. Speed check systems are road safety infrastructure consisting of vehicle speed limitation constructions. Mobile radars are used by the Road Police depending on the sectors with most recorded speed violations and cameras serve as automatic recording of road traffic offences. They shall be positioned as a priority in the identified 267 black points/hot spots.
68	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	Target	Reducing the number of road accident victims (seriously injured and deceased people) by 25% compared to the 2019 baseline		Percentage (%)	100	75	Q1	2026	The target refers to a minimum 25% reduction in the annual number of victims (seriously injured and deceased people) in 2025 vs 2019 baseline in road accidents across the country, thanks to the road safety reform, the comprehensive action plan and road safety investments supported under the Romanian recovery and resilience plan. Official data for the end of 2025 shall be reported by the National Statistics Institute by the end of Q1 2026.
69	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Railway infrastructure development and rail traffic management	Milestone	Adoption of the strategy for the development of railway infrastructure 2021-2025 and application of the action plan	Adoption of the strategy for the development of the railway infrastructure by the Government Decision no. 985/2020 (secondary legislation), adoption of the action plan and start of implementation				Q4	2021	The approved strategy and action plan shall identify responsible authorities/actors, deadlines for implementation, financial allocations and indicators. At the same time, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure together with C.N.C.F. C.F.R. SA shall define a mechanism with clear indicators and criteria for prioritising rail infrastructure investments, as well as the institutional arrangements necessary for the implementation of this mechanism and the preparation of investment projects. Adoption of the action plan for the development of railway infrastructure 2021-2025 which shall include: -a system with indicators for prioritising investments; -a structure responsible for project preparation; -measures to increase rail freight traffic by a minimum of 25% in 2026 compared to 2020; -dedicated measures in view of reaching a target of an increase in the number of railways passengers by an average of 25% compared with 2021 baseline; -measures to increase the use of newly-acquired rolling stock; -measures to shift passengers from buses/minibuses to railways on shuttle routes. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure shall also approve the Investment Plan for the development of transport infrastructure for the period 2020-2030, which shall prioritise rail investments and ERTMS operationalization according to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, thus updating the strategy for the development of railway infrastructure in the light of all available sources of financing.
70	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Railway infrastructure development and rail traffic management	Milestone	Publication and implementation of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) national action plan	Adoption and implementation of the action plan				Q4	2025	The milestone refers to the implementation of a new ERTMS action plan by 2025. The action plan shall include: -clear steps for ERTMS deployment and certification for TEN-T Core network, in the medium (2025) and long term (horizon 2030); -responsible actors; -budgetary estimations; -administrative capacity measures at national level for the notified bodies in order to fully administer the ERTMS certification process for all envisaged sectors in the timeframe of their construction to ensure full operationalization.
71	Reform 1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Shipping strategy	Milestone	Adoption of the Shipping strategy	Adoption of the Shipping strategy by the Government				Q2	2023	Development and approval of the Shipping strategy. Development and approval of the action plan for the implementation of the Shipping strategy. Development and approval of a Vessel Investment Priority Guide. The Shipping strategy shall include: analysis of the current situation of Romanian waterways (both Inland Water-Ways and maritime) and the state of play of Romanian ports in terms of infrastructure; analysis of projects in the Romanian shipping sector; analysis of future trends and scenarios for 2027, 2030, 2035 and 2050; The analysis shall focus on how to improve the environmental performance of vessels and ports, taking into account EU level requirements, like the Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure; while importance should be given to the provision of green fuels to vessels (through Onshore Power Supply in particular), the strategy shall consider measures to green all port operations (emissions, noise, pollution). To foster the navigability of the Danube in a sustainable way, an approach that combines sustainable infrastructure, alternative fuels and digitalisation is needed, while taking into account of the environmental sensitivity of the Danube. Proposals shall be made to amend the legal and institutional framework on how to manage the shipping infrastructure with the objectives to: integrate water transport with other modes of transport, prepare development plans of intermodal ports and increase freight transport on the Danube by 15% between end 2022 and end 2026 in a sustainable manner.
72	Investment 1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	Milestone	Signature of contracts for 50% of the works related to modernisation, upgrade and renewal of railway infrastructure	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The target refers to the award of contracts with winning companies equivalent to 50% of the works for the construction and supervision of railways as follows: -Modernisation, electrification of railway tracks, ERTMS on the section Arad-Timișoara - Caransebeş; -Upgrade, electrification of railway tracks, ERTMS on the section Cluj-Napoca - Episcopia Bihor; -Electrification and renewal of railway tracks: Constanta-Mangalia and Videle-Giurgiu. The renewal investments cover the following lines: ·Bucharest — Pitești — TEN-T Comprehensive; ·Reșița — Voiteni — Link to TEN-T Core Corridor. The investment shall also include a series of “Quick Wins” projects to remove speed restrictions and limitations on the following sections: ·Bucharest — Craiova; ·Arad — Oradea; ·Sibiu — Mică Copșa; ·Oradea — Satu Mare — Halmeu; ·Apahida — Dej — Baia Mare — Satu Mare; ·Dej — Beclean — Ilva Mica ·Adjud — Siculeni; ·Filiași — Tg.Jiu — Petroșani — Simeria; ·Pitești — Slatina — Craiova; ·Coșlariu — Teiuș — Cluj-Napoca; ·Tecuci — Bârlad — Vaslui — Iași. The tender process shall be carried out in accordance with L98/2016 and its subsequent amendments, which transposed the relevant European Directive 2014/24/EU. The awards of contracts shall follow open and competitive tenders and the approval of relevant permits, with Environmental Impact Assessment (including assessments necessary under the Water Framework Directive) and Appropriate Assessment opinions (part of the Habitats Directive) issued and incorporated in the design of the investments, and ensure compliance with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
73	Investment 1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	Milestone	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works related to modernisation, upgrade and renewal of railway infrastructure	Signature of contracts				Q4	2023	The target refers to the signature of contracts with winning companies for the: -Modernisation, electrification of railway tracks, ERTMS on the section Arad-Timișoara - Caransebeş; -Upgrade, electrification of railway tracks, ERTMS on the section Cluj-Napoca - Episcopia Bihor; -Electrification and renewal of railway tracks: Constanta-Mangalia and Videle-Giurgiu. The renewal investments cover the following lines: ·Bucharest — Pitești — TEN-T Comprehensive; ·Reșița — Voiteni — Link to TEN-T Core Corridor. The investment shall also include “ Quick Wins” projects to remove speed restrictions and limitations on the following sections: ·Bucharest — Craiova; ·Arad — Oradea; ·Sibiu — Mică Copșa; ·Oradea — Satu Mare — Halmeu; ·Apahida — Dej — Baia Mare — Satu Mare; ·Dej — Beclean — Ilva Mica ·Adjud — Siculeni; ·Filiași — Tg.Jiu — Petroșani — Simeria; ·Pitești — Slatina — Craiova; ·Coșlariu — Teiuș — Cluj-Napoca; ·Tecuci — Bârlad — Vaslui — Iași. The tender process shall be carried out in accordance with L98/2016 and its subsequent amendments, which transposed the relevant European Directive 2014/24/EU. The awards of contracts shall follow open and competitive tenders and the approval of relevant permits, with Environmental Impact Assessment (including assessments necessary under the Water Framework Directive) and Appropriate Assessment opinions (part of the Habitats Directive) issued and incorporated in the design of the investments, and ensure compliance with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
74	Investment 1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	Target	Completion of the works for at least 50% of the total railways infrastructure investments.		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q4	2024	The target refers to the intermediate completion of 50% of the works for railways infrastructure investments, measured in percentage of works completed (certified by supervision report) for the: -Modernisation, electrification, ERTMS on the Arad-Timișoara- Caransebeş section; -Upgrade, electrification, ERTMS on section Cluj-Napoca - Episcopia Bihor; -Electrification and renewal of railway tracks: Constanta-Mangalia and Videle-Giurgiu. The renewal investments shall cover the following lines: ·Bucharest — Pitești — TEN-T Comprehensive; ·Reșița — Voiteni — Link to TEN-T Core Corridor. The investment shall also include “Quick Wins” projects to remove restrictions and speed limits on the following sections: ·Bucharest — Craiova; ·Arad — Oradea; ·Sibiu — Mică Copșa; ·Oradea — Satu Mare — Halmeu; ·Apahida — Dej — Baia Mare — Satu Mare; ·Dej — Beclean — Ilva Mica; ·Adjud — Siculeni; ·Filiași — Tg.Jiu — Petroșani — Simeria; ·Pitești — Slatina — Craiova; ·Coșlariu — Teiuș — Cluj-Napoca; ·Tecuci — Bârlad — Vaslui — Iași.
75	Investment 1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	Target	Kilometres of new/upgraded operational railway infrastructure		Kilometres (km)	0	2 851	Q2	2026	The target includes: -315km of upgraded railway lines with a capacity increase of 30% and ERTMS level 2 installed; -110km electrified and renewed railway lines with 15% increased speed (average speed to reach min. 100km/h); -2 426km (2 163km total length of the tracks “quick wins” projects + 198km renewal of Bucharest - Pitești section + 65km renewal of Reșita - Voiteni section) of renewed railways with 15% increased speed (average speed to reach min. 100km/h). The target refers to the number of km of new and upgraded railways which shall be completed with notification of acceptance from the contracting authority and in operation, in line with TEN-T standards and TSIs: -Modernisation, electrification, ERTMS on section Arad-Timișoara- Caransebeş; -Upgrade, electrification, ERTMS on section Cluj-Episcopia Bihor. -For the two projects above the works include full ERTMS as on-track installations and the required certification for European railway interoperability to be completed at the same time as the investment itself. -Renewal and Electrification: Constanta-Mangalia and Videle-Giurgiu. The renovation process of investments covers the following lines: ·Bucharest — Pitești — TEN-T Comprehensive; ·Reșița — Voiteni — Link to TEN-T Core Corridor. The investment shall include “Quick Wins” projects to remove the speed restrictions and limitations on the following sections: ·Bucharest — Craiova; ·Arad — Oradea; ·Sibiu — Mică Copșa; ·Oradea — Satu Mare — Halmeu; ·Apahida — Dej — Baia Mare — Satu Mare; ·Dej — Beclean — Ilva Mica; ·Adjud — Siculeni; ·Filiași — Tg.Jiu — Petroșani — Simeria; ·Pitești — Slatina — Craiova; ·Coșlariu — Teiuș — Cluj-Napoca; ·Tecuci — Bârlad — Vaslui — Iași. Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the Environmental Impact Assessment in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU, to ensure compliance with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). Good ecological status/potential of the relevant water bodies in accordance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC shall be achieved / maintained and evidenced by latest relevant supporting data. ERTMS trackside system should be certified for European interoperability.
76	Investment 2. Railways rolling stock	Milestone	Signature of contracts following open and competitive tenders.	Signature of contracts				Q2	2023	The milestone refers to the contracts signed between the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the winning companies for the delivery of rolling stock: 20 EMU (Electric Multiple Units - RE-IR - Electric Interregio – long distance trains, with 6 units), 12 H-EMU (Hydrogen Electric Multiple Units, with 3+1 units), modernised zero-emission rolling stock: 55 locomotives and 139 wagons, 16 new electric locomotives with 4 axles with ERTMS/ European Train Control System (ETCS) and conversion of 20 diesel hydraulic shunting locomotives in plug-in electric locomotives), following open and competitive tenders.
77	Investment 2. Railways rolling stock	Target	New electric rolling stock in operation		Number	0	262	Q2	2026	Entry into operation of: - 20 EMU (Electric Multiple Units - RE-IR - Electric Interregio – long distance trains, with 6 units) and 12 H-EMU (Hydrogen Electric Multiple Units, with 3+1 units) - 55 modernized electric locomotives capable of speed of 160km/h and towing of trains up to 16 wagons; - 16 new electric locomotives with 4 axes with ERTMS system capable of reaching a speed of 160km/h and towing of trains up to 16 wagons; - 20 shunting locomotives upgraded from diesel to electric power and plugin; - 139 modernised (30 sleeping cars, couchette cars, restaurant and bistro wagons and 109 class wagons for InterCity, InterRegio and Regio trains). In order to maximise the efficiency of the investment, all newly purchased rolling stock shall be used on the TEN-T network with priority on upgraded lines.

D.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 2. Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance

The objective of this reform is to develop the quality of transport investments and services by improving the corporate governance and the performance of the State-Owned Enterprises operating in the transport sector, notably for those in charge of roads, railways and metro.

A new entity C.N.I.R. S.A. (National Company for Road Infrastructure) has been created by legislation entered into force in April 2021 to manage the investments in road sector, with the responsibility to ensure the implementation of the projects from the technical and economic documentation phase, tendering procedures, effective construction to reception. It is expected that this shall allow to focus a specific entity (C.N.I.R) on the efficient management and prioritization of the new road investments, while the other entity (C.N.A.I.R) shall focus on the management and maintenance of the existing road network. There shall be a transitional period of 3 years during which C.N.A.I.R. (National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration) and C.N.I.R. shall run investment projects in parallel, until the full operationalisation of C.N.I.R.

The selection and appointment of the members of the board of directors of the state-owned enterprises in the transport sector shall be improved with transparent and competitive procedures, and remuneration shall be in line with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Based on an independent assessment of financial and operational performance in line with OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) standards, recommendations for improving the performance of C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R., C.F.R. (Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate), C.F.R. Călători and Metrorex shall be implemented. In order to carry out the independent evaluation, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure shall contract/select through competitive public procurement an International Financing Institution or an international auditing company, recognised for the competence and expertise in state-owned enterprises performance. The recommendations from this independent assessment shall be implemented by 30 June 2023.

This reform shall ensure a balanced representation of women in all reform processes and in the organisational structures specific to its implementation. It shall also aim to improve the representation of women in decision-making positions of companies undergoing this reform.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment 3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety

The objective of this investment is to improve the quality and efficiency of road infrastructure on specific sections of the TEN-T network, and to foster economic and social cohesion in particular in less developed and remote regions.

The new motorways shall be built for a total of 429km, as follows:

• A7 — Ploiești-Pașcani (319km);

• A8 — Târgu-Mureș-Miercurea Nirajului and Leghin- Târgu Neamț (Moțca) (59km);

• A1 — Marginea-Holdea (9km);

• A3 — Nădășelu-Poarta Sălajului (42km).

All motorway sectors shall be built in accordance with TEN-T standards, shall comply with and include in the design the Environmental Impact Assessment requirements, opinions and conditions of the appropriate assessment (part of the Habitats Directive), and include new technical regulations to limit pollution, improve safety and promote traffic efficiency.

The construction of new highways shall entail the following features: mandatory technical standards in line with TEN-T requirements, construction of electric recharging stations, construction of secure parking areas, implementation of digitalisation solutions that serve to make traffic more efficient and safer, installation of forest curtains and works to improve road safety.

-the coupling of the road investment with the installation of at least 30 000 electric charging points, as foreseen in Reform 1 of this component, Investment 1 and 2 of component 10 (“Local Fund”) and Investment 1 of component 5 (“Renovation Wave”);

-Reform 1 of this component, which introduces: i) distance-based charging for heavy goods vehicles (lorries and other types of lorries); ii) local taxation measures for the ownership of the most polluting passenger vehicles; and (iii) the increase by 29 500 of zero-emission electric vehicles registered in Romania between 2020 and 2025;

-Reform 1 of this component, which provides financial and fiscal incentives to increase the number of zero- and low-emission vehicles and to scrap at least 250 000 polluting vehicles (EURO 3 or below);

-Reform 1 of this component, which covers a strategy for the development of railway infrastructure and a shipping strategy and integration with other modes of transport, which support the modal shift from road towards rail and/or inland waterways:

-Reform 4 of component 10 “Local Fund”, which include measures to stimulate the renewal of the public transport fleet with clean vehicles, increase road safety and secure minimum national quality standards in urban and rural areas.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 4. Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca

The objective of this investment is to extend the underground transport network in the municipality of Bucharest by 5,2 kilometres, and to build 7,5 kilometres of underground transport network in Cluj-Napoca. The projects shall contribute to increasing the use of clean public transport, thereby reducing air pollution, emissions and congestion in these urban areas. The investment shall include facilities for persons with reduced mobility and shall be accessible to visually impaired persons.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

D.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)		Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
						Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
78	R2. Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	Milestone	Entry into force of the Law no. 50/2021 for the approval of the Emergency Ordinance no. 55/2016 on the reorganization of the National Company of Highways and National Roads in Romania - S.A. (C.N.A.I.R.) and the establishment of the National Road Investment Company - S.A. (C.N.I.R.)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Law no 50/2021					Q2	2021	The entry into force of the legislation on the reform of the C.N.A.I.R. and the creation of a new Road Investment Project Management Company (C.N.I.R.). The law was approved by the Parliament and entered into force in April 2021. Along with the legislation (primary and secondary), the entire regulatory package (instructions, board decisions, management contracts signed with the management teams) shall include: -Clear performance indicators, aligned with the Boards’ mandates and KPIs, sanctions and incentives in case of non-compliance, to assess the financial performance (revenue, profitability, involvement of State’s budget) and the performance of the service provided (e.g. via user satisfaction survey) for both companies; -Corporate governance standards in line with the O.E.C.D. framework (professional Boards selected through an open, competitive and transparent procedure). Primary and secondary legislation must be amended to make the company’s activities more effective and to reorient C.N.A.I.R.’s powers and institutional mechanisms. Specifically, C.N.A.I.R. shall retain the current tasks in terms of road maintenance as well as existing investments both at the level of major and minor projects. There shall be a transitional period of 3 years during which C.N.A.I.R. and C.N.I.R. shall run investment projects in parallel until C.N.I.R. is fully operational and all major investment projects shall be in the management of the C.N.I.R.
79	R2. Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	Milestone	Selection and appointment of members of the Board of Directors of C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R, C.F.R., Metrorex, C.F.R. Călători.	Mandates validated by General stakeholder assembly and Ministerial Order					Q4	2022	The selection and appointment of members of the Board of Directors of State-Owned Enterprises in the transport sector (C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R, C.F.R., Metrorex, C.F.R. Călători) shall be made: -on the basis of a transparent and competitive procedure, -with a duration of the mandate of 4 years to ensure that medium and longterm efficiency plans are implemented; -with remuneration of Board members based on performance indicators (KPIs) linked to long-term financial sustainability (KPI relevant to the profile of each company) and performance of the service provided (e.g. on the basis of a customer satisfaction survey) by each company; -in compliance with good governance principles in line with the reform on State-Owned-Enterprises amending Law 111/2016.
80	R2. Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	Milestone	Implementation of the main recommendations to increase the financial and operational performance of C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R., C.F.R., C.F.R. Călători and Metrorex	The main recommendations are implemented					Q2	2023	After the completion of an independent evaluation of the financial and operational performance of C.N.A.I.R, C.N.I.R., C.F.R. (Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate), C.F.R. Călători and Metrorex in line with OECD standards, the main recommendations of the evaluation shall be implemented. For the independent evaluation, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure shall select through competitive tendering procedures an International Financing Institution or an international audit company, recognised for its competence and expertise in SOEs performance. An independent evaluation of the financial and operational performance of C.N.A.I.R, C.F.R., C.F.R. Călători and Metrorex in line with OECD standards shall be conducted. The main recommendations of the evaluation shall be implemented.
81	R2. Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	Target	Improved railways performance in terms of trains punctuality			Percentage (%)	0	20	Q4	2025	The target shall be at least a 20% reduction in the percentage of trains that are late more than 30 minutes from the baseline of 2020 to 2025, based on official published statistics. An analysis shall be completed by the end of 2021 to quantify the baseline for the number of trains with delays.
82	I3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	Milestone	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained, with Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment (part of the Habitats Directive) opinions issued and incorporated in the design of the investments	Signature of contracts					Q4	2023	The milestone refers to the signature of contracts for the construction and supervision of 100% of the works of the motorway sections on the TEN-T network of A1, A3, A7 and A8: • A7 - Ploiesti-Pascani; • A8 - Târgu-Mures-Miercurea Nirajului and Leghin- Târgu Neamț (Moțca); • A1 - Marginea-Holdea; • A3 - Nădășelu-Poarta Sălajului. In order to comply with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), all motorway sections shall be built in line with TEN-T standards, comply with Environmental Impact Assessment requirements and include the Appropriate Assessment (part of Habitats Directive) in the design, and include new technical features to limit pollution and digitise transport (forest curtains, sound-absorbing panels, electric charging stations, Intelligent Transport System, road safety) in line with relevant regulations. The tender process shall be open and competitive and carried out in accordance with Law 98/2016 and its subsequent amendments, which transposed the relevant European Directive 2014/24/EU.
83	I3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	Target	Construction of new roads, 50% of works completed			Percentage (%)	0	50	Q4	2024	The target refers to the completion of at least 50% of the works (certified by supervision report) of road infrastructure located on the TEN-T network: • A7 - Ploiești-Pașcani (319km); • A8 - Târgu-Mureș-Miercurea Nirajului and Leghin- Tg. Neamț (Moțca) (59km); • A1 - Marginea-Holdea (9km); • A3 - Nădășelu-Poarta Sălajului (42km). The motorways shall be built according to technical specifications, fully including all EIA results, Appropriate Assessment (part of Habitats Directive) opinions and conditions and comply with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
84	I3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	Target	Construction of new roads completed (with TEN-T standards)		Kilometres (km)		910	1 339	Q2	2026	The target refers to the number of km of road infrastructure built and entered into operation (total 429km) located on the TEN-T network: ·A7 - Ploiești-Pașcani (319km); ·A8 - Târgu-Mureș-Miercurea Nirajului and Leghin – Târgu Neamț (Moțca) (59km); ·A1 - Marginea-Holdea (9km); ·A3 - Nădășelu-Poarta Sălajului (42km). The baseline of 910km of motorway represents the number of km completed and operational at the end of 2020 according to National Institute of Statistics data. Number of electric recharging points in spaces built on the new road infrastructure: 264 (average of 5 recharging points/station in 52 recharging stations). Intelligent Traffic System (ITS): 434km of motorways equipped with the new ITS according to relevant Regulations. Forest curtains: 625ha of specific trees as described in the Do Not Significant Harm assessment for this measure. Safe and secured car parking spots along the motorways: 18. The motorways shall be built according to technical specifications, fully including all EIA results, Appropriate Assessment (part of Habitats Directive) opinions and conditions, in order to comply with the Do Not Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
85	I3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	Target	Road safety black/hot spots removed		Number		0	129	Q2	2026	The existing 267 road safety black/hot spots in 2021 shall be reduced by 129. Measures to remove the 129 road safety black/hot spots include: -location of road walls with rolls, concrete or cable (using sustainable materials in line with circular economy), depending on the type of road, in order to improve road safety in areas with a high risk of road accidents; -measures to mitigate the consequences of collisions with rigid objects in the road area by locating impact attenuators equipped with an accident detection and traffic monitoring system; -purchase of systems to protect workers undertaking emergency interventions to motorway infrastructure and national roads open to international traffic, type “Truck Mounted attenuator”; -Road Safety Campaign targeting vulnerable categories of road users; -increasing road safety at night by signalling dangerous road sections with green energy light sources; -diversion of traffic at night by routing poles, light buttons, including signs dedicated to the protection of road users from wild animals; -increasing road safety by illuminating dangerous sectors, and optimising consumption of existing lighting systems by equipping them with a remote management system; -alternative journeys to increase road safety and remove traffic jams, development of pedestrian footpaths; -pilot project: ensuring a high level of road safety on a motorway section allowing autonomous vehicles to circulate. The identification of road safety black/hot spots is carried out by the Romanian Police, which shall also certify their elimination as a result of the work carried out by C.N.A.I.R.
86	I4. Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	Milestone	Signature of contracts for 50% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained.	Signature of contracts					Q4	2022	The contracts between the Ministry of Transport/City-Hall of Cluj-Napoca and the winning companies shall be signed, following open and competitive tender for the procurement of 50% of the works of new metro lines in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, as follows: ·M4 Bucharest: North Filaret Station (6 stations), length 5,2km; ·M1 Cluj-Napoca: SF. Maria — United Europe (9 stations), length 7,5km. The works included in this investment are: structural resistance work, stations, interstations, tunnels, galleries, other constructions. The tender process shall be carried out in accordance with L98/2016 and its subsequent amendments, which transposed the relevant European Directive 2014/24/EU. The technical specifications of the tender shall fully incorporate any result and condition from the Environmental Impact Assessment if needed.
87	I4. Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	Milestone	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained.	Signature of contracts					Q4	2023	The contracts between the Ministry of Transport/City-Hall of Cluj-Napoca and the winning companies shall be signed, following open and competitive tender for the procurement of 100% of the works, including structural resistance works, stations, interstations, tunnels, galleries, other constructions, for the new metro lines: ·M4 Bucharest: North Filaret Station (6 stations), length 5,2km; ·M1 Cluj-Napoca: SF. Maria - United Europe (9 stations), length 7,5km. The works included in this investment are: structural resistance work; stations, interstations, tunnels, galleries, other constructions. The tender process shall be carried out in accordance with L98/2016 and its subsequent amendments, which transposed the relevant European Directive 2014/24/EU. Technical specifications of the tender shall fully incorporate any result and condition from the Environmental Impact Assessment if needed.
88	I4. Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	Target	Construction of 50% of the metro lines investments in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca		Percentage (%)		0	50	Q4	2024	Completion of at least 50% of the works (certified by supervision report) for new metro lines in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, including structural resistance works, stations, interstations, tunnels, galleries, other constructions, as follows: ·M4 Bucharest: North Station - Filaret; ·M1 Cluj-Napoca: SF. Maria - United Europe.
89	I4. Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	Target	Kilometers of new metro lines in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca completed		Kilometres (km)		0	12,7	Q2	2026	Completion of the works on the main structure (structural resistance works stations, inter-stations, tunnels, galleries, other constructions) of new metro lines in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, for a total length of 12,7km as follows: ·M4: Bucharest - Section 1: North Station - Filaret (6 stations), length 5,2km; ·M1: Cluj-Napoca - Section 1: SF. Maria - United Europe (9 stations), length 7,5km.

E.COMPONENT 5: Renovation wave

In its National Long-Term Renovation Strategy Romania estimates the need to invest EUR 12,8 billion in building renovations to achieve a reduction of 0,83 Mtoe in the final energy consumption in 2030 compared to the baseline scenario.

The objective of the component is to increase the speed and the quality of the energy renovations both in the public and in the private sector, while addressing the challenge of heritage protection. The reforms and investments in this component aim to achieve reductions of primary energy consumption and final energy consumption in line with the objectives for 2030 set out in the National Long-Term Renovation Strategy.

These investments and reforms shall address Romania’s country-specific recommendations of the past two years to “focus investment-related economic policy on […] low carbon and energy efficiency” (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019) and to “focus on investments for the green […] transition, in particular on clean and efficient production and use of energy” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020).

E.1. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 1. Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings

The reform shall simplify the legislative and regulatory framework concerning building renovation activities, to accelerate the green transition. The reform shall cover the following sub-reforms:

-R1.a. Codification of legislation supporting the implementation of investments in the transition to green buildings. The Spatial planning, Urban Planning and Construction Code shall link, simplify, and codify in a single legislative act at least 10 legislative acts in the fields of spatial planning, urbanism and construction. The adoption and entry into force of the Code is included in Reform 5 of Component 10 Local Fund by 31 December 2022. The objective of this reform element is to reduce by at least 50 % the time required for the issuance of building permits by the relevant entities, compared to 2020, from 270 days to 135 days for the entire process of obtaining building permits. The Code shall also integrate the key principles of the European Green Deal, such as promoting resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, biodiversity corridors, and circular economy. It shall also promote the digitalisation of the authorisation processes. The implementation of the sub-reform shall be completed by 31 June 2025.

-R1.b. Optimisation of the legislative and regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green buildings. As regards the legislative framework, the Government Emergency Order No 18/2009 on the multiannual national programme for improving the energy performance of residential buildings shall be amended to increase the level of ambition of energy renovations to at least 30% primary energy savings up to 60% primary energy savings for residential buildings. As regards the new technical regulatory framework, it shall include the following guidelines adopted and operational: Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) guidelines, guidelines to facilitate the implementation of the Building Information Modelling (BIM), and a methodology for non-invasive approach to energy and resource efficiency on historical buildings. The new regulatory framework aims to provide guidance on the technical implementation of NZEB requirements, to support the central public administration authorities responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of the NZEB requirements; and to establish standards to achieve energy and resource efficiency savings for historical buildings without affecting their architectural and historical value. The implementation of the sub-reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Reform 2. Strategic, legislative and procedural framework to support seismic resilience of the buildings stock

The reform shall cover the following sub-reforms:

-R2.a. The adoption of a National Seismic Risk Reduction Strategy. The Strategy shall include an action plan with specific objectives to reduce the seismic risk in the short, medium and long term (2030, 2040 and 2050) for the different types of vulnerable buildings, including raising public awareness and strengthening the institutional capacity of seismic management. The reform shall ensure an integrated and consistent approach between energy and seismic renovations planning, and shall reduce from several years to several months the time needed to effectively complete the prioritisation of the building stock interventions. This reform element shall be implemented through the adoption of the Strategy by the Government and shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

-R2.b. Optimising the legislative framework for seismic risk reduction of existing buildings. The objective of the sub-reform is to improve the existing programme for retrofitting the existing building stock, which in the past did not have an integrated approach to seismic and energy renovations. The sub-reform shall change the programme into a multiannual programme, it shall introduce in the list of eligible expenses the works necessary to increase energy performance, it shall extend it to public buildings and not only private buildings, and also introduce the seismic risk class RSII among the eligible criteria. This reform element shall be implemented through the entry into force of the new law on seismic risk reduction of buildings and its implementation shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment 1. Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock

The objective of the investment is to increase the energy renovation rate of multi-family buildings and public buildings in Romania. Since Romania is one of the European countries most exposed to seismic risk, energy renovation shall, where required, be carried out in parallel with the seismic renovation to ensure a cost-efficient approach and a long-lasting effect of the investment. The works shall also respect the aesthetics and architectural quality of the building, by taking into account the possible cultural protection requirements of renovation in the case of buildings belonging to cultural heritage. The investment shall also improve the accessibility of buildings by creating facilities and adapting buildings to the needs of persons with disabilities as well as to the ageing population.

The investment shall be carried out along two axes:

-Axis 1 — Investments in residential multifamily buildings for green and resilient transition

A national support scheme for energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of multifamily residential buildings shall be established by 31 March 2022. The objective of the investment is to achieve a total CO2 savings of at least 0,15 million tons and total primary energy savings at least 0,15Mtep. The scheme shall stipulate that all renovations are, on average, expected to achieve a minimum of 30 % of primary energy demand savings. In case of major renovation of buildings having more than 10 parking spaces, the cabling infrastructure for each parking space shall ensure the possibility to install charging points for electric vehicles and one charging point for every 5 parking spaces shall be installed.

The Ministry of Development, Public works and Administration shall be responsible for the publication of calls for proposals for local public authorities, while local authorities shall be responsible for the award of contracts. One call for proposals shall cover both the energy efficiency renovation and seismic consolidation of residential buildings and shall be dedicated to the areas with the highest seismic risk. The specification of the call shall require priority to be given to communities at risk of poverty and social exclusion. A separate call for proposals shall cover moderate energy efficiency renovations only and shall be dedicated to communities at risk of poverty and social exclusion. A third call for proposals shall cover moderate (90%) and deep (10%) energy renovations, and shall be allocated to all Local Administrative Units, including the six sectors of Bucharest, according to the number of buildings and their population of the county. If any funds remained uncontracted after this first round, the remaining funding shall be made available at the same conditions to all Local Administrative Units on a first come first served basis.

Multi-family residential buildings classified in the seismic risk class I or II (RSI and RsII) shall be excluded from the financing of energy-efficiency-only interventions.

The implementation of the investments under this axis shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

-Axis 2 — Investments in public buildings for green and resilient transition

A national support scheme for energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of public buildings shall be established by 31 March 2022. The objective of the investment is to achieve a total CO2 savings of at least 0,075 million tons and total primary energy savings at least 0,0215Mtep. The scheme shall stipulate that all renovations are, on average, expected to achieve a minimum of 30% of primary energy demand savings. In case of major renovation of buildings having more than 10 parking spaces, it shall be ensured that at least one recharging point for electric vehicles or built-in infrastructure is installed.

The Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration shall monitor the implementation and the works shall be carried out either through the National Investment Company or directly by the relevant central, county councils, county seat municipalities and other municipalities, including the six sectors of Bucharest. The Ministry shall be responsible for the publication of calls for proposals for public authorities. As much as possible, the calls shall be aggregated into centralised large procurement packages and standard tender documentation with performance indicators and specific requirements and technical and economic evaluation procedures shall be developed.

A call for integrated projects (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) shall be organised for the local administrative units situated in areas at the highest seismic risk. A separate call for projects shall cover moderate (80%) and deep (20%) energy renovations. If any funds remained uncontracted after this first round, the remaining funding shall be made available at the same conditions to all Local Administrative Units on a first come first served basis.

Public buildings classified in the RSI and RsII seismic risk classes shall be excluded from the financing of energy-efficiency-only interventions.

The implementation of the investments under this axis shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 2. Implementation of the National Building Register

The objective of the investment is to create a national building stock database, indicating key information such as the building typology, its energy consumption and seismic risk. The database shall contribute to the development of policy analyses and programme formulation and evaluation, to identifying target buildings for different programmes, identifying poor/high performance, prioritising investments, and tracking overall progress.

The investment shall set up a National Buildings Register, which is an IT system on the existing national public and private building stock. The register shall be geo-referenced, linked and interoperable with urban data banks at local level and other national registers systems. In the first pilot phase, the register shall include a section with information on all building being renovated under the recovery and resilience plan. This shall allow the monitoring of energy consumption of those buildings.

Building energy passport shall be part of the logbooks and contain all information on energy-related interventions in digital format. Logbooks shall be part of the National Building Register as an integrated system.

The National Buildings Register shall be available online with the pilot section by 31 December 2024.

Investment 3. Strengthening the professional capacity of professionals and workers in renovation by developing trainings on energy efficiency in the construction sector

The objective of the investment is to complement the investments in building renovation by strengthening the skills and capacity of the professionals and workforce in the construction sector, which is currently insufficient to deliver the required ambitious energy renovations.

The training programmes shall consist in short courses in lifelong learning programmes to improve the skills of professionals and workforce with green jobs in the context of energy renovation of buildings, to be delivered in different regions uniformly spread across the Romanian territory. Partnerships between the training centres, universities and relevant institutions shall be developed. The training sessions shall be structured in modules and shall contain both theoretical and practical courses. The investment shall cover the participation of people with disabilities in specialist and training courses/programmes.

The objective of the investment is to develop 10 certification schemes in the area of energy performance of buildings for specialists and qualifications for construction workers, covering a total of at least 8 000 people.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 4. Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings

The objective of this investment is to tackle the challenges of the energy renovation of historic buildings and resource efficiency such as historic monuments and buildings located in protected areas, through an interdisciplinary and integrated approach implementing the principles of sustainability and the circular economy, in line with the “National Strategy for the Protection of Historical Monuments”. The investment shall promote the collection, repair and reuse of material from renovation works on historic buildings, thus contributing to both heritage conservation and climate and energy and resource efficiency objectives, in line with the EU Renovation wave strategy.

The investment shall i) develop and test new materials and technological solutions for energy and resource efficiency interventions on historic buildings; ii) develop professional skills for energy and resource efficiency intervention on historic buildings; iii) create a pilot centre for the collection and re-use of historical construction materials from demolition works on historic buildings; iv) ensure the regular maintenance of historic buildings.

A pilot centre within the National Heritage Institute for the collection and re-use of historical building materials shall be operational by 31 December 2024 and 2 certification schemes for energy and resource efficiency interventions on historic buildings shall be developed, covering a total of at least 200 people by 31 December 2025.

E.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
90	Reform 1. Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendments to the existing legislative framework on the multiannual national programme for improving the energy performance of residential buildings (Government Emergency Ordonnance No 18/2009)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments to the Government Emergency Ordonnance No 18/2009				Q4	2022	The amendments to the multiannual national programme for improving the energy performance of residential buildings shall increase the level of ambition of energy renovations to at least 30 % primary energy savings up to 60 % primary energy savings for residential building by establishing an updated list of expenditure for moderate or deep renovation that shall be eligible for support and by increasing the ambition of the performance indicators for projects submitted under the programme.
91	Reform 1. Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	Milestone	The technical regulatory framework on investments for the transition to green and digital buildings is operational	Publication in the Official Gazette				Q4	2022	The technical regulatory framework shall include the following guidelines adopted and operational: 1. “The Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) guidelines” shall provide guidance on the technical implementation of NZEB requirements, to support the central public administration authorities responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of the NZEB requirements. The guidelines shall include the relevant indicators and the mechanisms for their collection and monitoring. 2.”The methodology for non-invasive approach of energy efficiency on historical buildings” shall establish standards to achieve energy and resource efficiency savings for historical buildings without affecting their architectural and historical value.
92	Reform 1. Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	Target	Reduction of timing for the issuance of building permits		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q2	2025	Reduction by at least 50 % of the time required for the issuance of building permits by the relevant entities, compared to 2020, from 270 days to 135 days for the entire process of obtaining building permits.
93	Reform 2. Strategic, legislative and procedural framework to support seismic resilience of the buildings stock	Milestone	Adoption and implementation of the National Seismic Risk Reduction strategy for the seismic retrofitting the existing building stock.	Adoption of the National Seismic Risk Reduction Strategy by the government.				Q4	2022	The strategy shall define the criteria for prioritising investments in the reduction of seismic risk for the existing building stock based on the level of seismic risk for buildings and communities and the benefits of risk reduction actions. The introduction of rapid visual assessment methodology for second level of seismic risk assessment shall contribute to reducing the time needed to effectively complete the prioritisation of the building stock interventions based on vulnerability data from several years to several months. It shall take into account the measures proposed by the Long-Term Renovation Strategy through the development of a mandatory integrated intervention guide.
94	Reform 2. Strategic, legislative and procedural framework to support seismic resilience of the buildings stock	Milestone	Entry into force of the new law on seismic risk reduction of buildings	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the new law on seismic risk reduction of buildings				Q4	2022	Entry into force of the new law on seismic risk reduction of buildings. The law shall cover the following actions: -include a multi-annual approach for retrofitting the existing building stock -introduce in the list of eligible; expenses the different eligible types of works necessary to increase energy performance; -extend the program to public buildings alongside with multifamily residential buildings; -introduce the RsII seismic class among the eligible criteria, alongside with RsI seismic class.
95	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Establishing a national support scheme for energy and efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of multifamily residential buildings	Publication of the ministerial order establishing the financing scheme				Q1	2022	The scheme shall finance the energy renovation of at least 4,3 million m² of residential buildings. The scheme shall finance the following types of projects: -integrated projects (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency); -energy renovation projects. The financing scheme shall ensure that at least 90 % from the total allocation shall be used for energy efficiency works and not more than 10 % of the allocation shall be used for seismic consolidation and other complementary works (such as fire safety, accessibility.) The entire scheme shall ensure that all contracts achieve the relevant energy efficiency requirement of a minimum reduction of energy consumption by at least 50 % compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for building with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver a minimum of 30 % (moderate renovation) and of 60 % (deep renovation) of primary energy demand savings compared to pre-renovation state and complying with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
96	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Establishing a national support scheme for energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for public buildings)	Publication of the order establishing the scheme				Q1	2022	The scheme shall finance the energy renovation of at least 2,3 million m² of public buildings. The scheme shall ensure the following types of projects: -integrated projects (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) -energy renovation projects. The financing scheme shall ensure that at least 90 % from total allocation shall be used for energy efficiency works and not more than 10 % of the allocation shall be used for seismic consolidation and other complementary works (such as fire safety, accessibility). The entire scheme shall ensure that all contracts shall achieve the relevant energy efficiency requirement of a minimum reduction of energy consumption by at least 50 % compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for building with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver a minimum of 30 % (moderate renovation) and of 60 % (deep renovation) of primary energy demand savings compared to pre-renovation state and complying with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
97	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Calls for proposals for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for residential buildings	Publication of call specifications				Q2	2022	The following three calls for proposals shall be published by the Ministry of Development, Public works and Administration for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of residential buildings: -call for integrated projects where seismic consolidation interventions shall be carried out in an integrated manner with those dedicated to increasing energy efficiency. The call shall be dedicated to local administrative units located in areas where the peak value of the ground acceleration for earthquake design a(g), according to the zoning map of the Romanian territory in the Code of seismic design P100-1 is greater than or equal to 0,2g for IMR=225 years. The specification of the call shall require priority to be given to communities at risk of poverty and social exclusion. -call for energy efficiency renovation projects dedicated to communities at risk of poverty and social exclusion with a budget of at least 20% of the allocation for Investment 1, Axis 1 corresponding to energy efficiency. -call for territorial energy efficiency renovation projects open to all the Local Administrative Units including the six sectors of Bucharest per county according to the number of multifamily residential buildings and the population of the county. Buildings that are classified in seismic risk classes RsI and RsII shall be excluded for energy efficiency contracts awarded in the second and third calls. All three call for proposals shall include selection criteria stipulating that all contracts shall state the relevant energy efficiency requirement of a minimum reduction of energy consumption for heating by at least 50 % compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for building with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver at least 30% primary energy savings compared to pre-renovation state (moderate renovation). The third call shall require 10 % of the budget to be spent for projects delivering at least 60 % primary energy savings (deep renovation) compared to pre-renovation state. The investment shall not cover the replacement of gas boilers. If any funds remained uncontracted after the first round, the remaining funds shall be made available at the same conditions to all the local administrative units on a first come, first served basis.
98	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Call for proposals for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) (public buildings)	Publication of call specifications				Q2	2022	Calls for proposals published by the Ministry of Development, Public works and Administration for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of public buildings for green and resilient transition: -call for integrated projects where seismic consolidation interventions shall be carried out in an integrated way with those dedicated to increasing energy efficiency. The call shall be dedicated to local administrative units located in areas where the peak value of the ground acceleration for earthquake design a(g), according to the zoning map of the Romanian territory in the Code of seismic design P100-1 is greater than or equal to 0,2g for IMR=225 years. -call for moderate (80%) and deep (20%) energy renovations energy renovation projects, dedicated to central public authorities, county councils, county seat municipalities and other municipalities, including the six sectors of Bucharest. Buildings classified in RsI and RsII seismic risk classes shall be excluded from contracts awarded in the second call. The two calls for proposals shall include selection criteria stipulating that all contracts shall state the relevant energy efficiency requirement of a minimum reduction of energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for building with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver at least 30% primary energy savings (moderate renovation) compared to pre-renovation state. The second call shall require 20% of the budget to be spent for projects delivering at least 60% primary energy savings (deep renovation) compared to pre-renovation state. Investments shall not cover the replacement of gas boilers. If any funds remained uncontracted after the first round, the remaining funds shall be made available at the same conditions to all municipalities on a first come, first served principle.
99	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for residential buildings	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for the transition to green and resilient buildings (residential buildings), shall be made in line with the conditions of milestones 95 and 97.
100	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for public buildings	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for the transition to green and resilient buildings (public buildings) shall be made in line with the conditions of milestones 96 and 98.
101	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings		Number (m2)	0	1 400 000	Q3	2024	Energy renovation of residential buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestones 95 and 97
102	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings		Number (m2)	1 400 000	2 800 000	Q4	2025	Energy renovation of residential buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestones 95 and 97
103	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings		Number (m2)	2 800 000	4 364 500	Q2	2026	Energy renovation of residential buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestones 95 and 97
104	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of public buildings		Number (m2)	0	770 000	Q3	2024	Energy renovation of public buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestone 96 and 98
105	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of public buildings		Number (m2)	770 000	1 540 000	Q4	2025	Energy renovation of public buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestone 96 and 98
106	Investment 1. Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	Target	Completed energy renovation of public buildings		Number (m2)	1 540 000	2 313 634	Q2	2026	Energy renovation of public buildings, in accordance with the conditions in milestone 96 and 98
107	Investment 2. Implementation of the National Building Register	Milestone	National Digital Building Register established and operational.	The national digital building register is available online, with a pilot section that includes the information related to the buildings renovated through national recovery and resilience plan				Q4	2024	The register information system shall contain a geo-referenced database of public and private buildings, complementary to the INSPIRE geoportal, linked and interoperable with urban data base at local level and other national registers systems. Building energy passport shall be part of the logbooks and contain all information on energy-related interventions in digital format. Logbooks shall be part of the National Building Register as an integrated system. The purpose of the register is to track the energy renovation data (energy savings, reduction of emission), and also data on the seismic vulnerability and other building characteristics.
108	Investment 3. Strengthening the professional capacity of professionals and workers in the renovation sector by developing trainings on energy efficiency construction	Target	Establishment of certification schemes in the field of energy performance of buildings		Number	0	10	Q1	2023	At least 10 certification schemes for workers and specialists in constructions shall be established. Certifications shall be provided in training programs in the form of short courses in lifelong learning programs to be delivered in different regions uniformly spread across the Romanian territory. The training shall be dedicated to improving the skills of professionals and workers in the context of energy renovation of buildings.
109	Investment 3. Strengthening the professional capacity of professionals and workers in the renovation sector by developing trainings on energy efficiency construction	Target	At least 8 000 specialist and workers with a certification for the completion of energy efficiency related trainings		Number	0	8 000	Q4	2023	At least 8 000 specialist and workers in the construction sector shall have obtained a short time course certification for the completion of energy-efficiency-related trainings.
110	Investment 4. Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	Milestone	A laboratory for testing new materials and technological solutions for historical buildings is operational.	The laboratory is operational				Q4	2024	The organisational structure and management procedures of the laboratory shall be in place to allow tests to be conducted according to scientific methods. The results of the test shall be used to develop the technical procedures of the methodology dedicated to increase the energy efficiency of historic buildings by using techniques and new materials, depending on the region, the construction tradition and physical characteristics.
111	Investment 4. Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	Milestone	A pilot centre within the National Heritage Institute for the collection and re-use of historical building materials is operational	Operational license obtained				Q4	2024	The pilot centre shall be equipped with infrastructure for the dismantling, separate collection and sorting of historic materials, as well as with tools needed to repair the collected materials coming from renovations and demolitions of historic buildings. The repaired materials shall be reused in future works on historic buildings including those financed through this component. The development of the centre is based on circular economy and is in line with resource efficiency principles.
112	Investment 4. Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	Target	At least 200 professionals with a certification for the completion of trainings on interventions and energy efficiency on historic buildings.		Number	0	200	Q4	2025	At least 200 professionals shall have obtained a certification for the completion of energy-efficiency-related trainings in the field of historic buildings.

F.COMPONENT 6: Energy

The energy sector is the largest source (66 %) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Romania. In its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) Romania estimates approximately EUR 22,6 billion of investment needs in the energy sector over 2021-2030 to achieve the NECP 2030 policy objectives.

The objective of the component is to address the main challenges of the Romanian energy sector in terms of decarbonisation and air pollution. In particular, it aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the energy sector by phasing-out lignite and coal fired-power plants by 2032 and by facilitating the deployment of renewables and alternative energy sources, such as green hydrogen. It also aims to increase the flexibility of the electricity grid, digitalise the energy sector, and reduce the energy intensity of industry. The component also intends to improve the corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the energy sector.

F.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production

The objective of the reform is the decarbonisation of the energy sector, with a focus on power generation. The reform covers two main measures: the coal phase-out and the increase of renewables electricity generation capacity.

The first reform element aims to phase-out coal and lignite-fired power plants by 2032. The Decarbonisation law and related secondary legislation setting out the calendar for the decommissioning of the total installed coal and lignite capacity shall enter into force by 30 June 2022. A cumulative 3 780MW of coal and lignite-fired installed electricity production capacity shall be decommissioned by 31 December 2025.

The second reform element aims to facilitate and accelerate the deployment of renewables in the Romanian energy mix. In addition to transposing Union legislation, the new Energy law shall: i) introduce Contracts for Difference (CfD) as the main support mechanism for investments in renewables power production; ii) allow direct negotiation of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) by all energy producers; iii) simplify the licensing and authorisation procedures for renewables investments, setting out shorter and mandatory administrative response times and implementing accountability procedures for unnecessary delays; iv) introduce a specific support framework for offshore renewables investments in currently under-exploited regions; and v) implement Demand Side Response in the balancing market to reduce consumption at peak hours and increase the participation of industrial consumers in the energy market.

The new Energy Law shall enter into force by 30 June 2023. As a result of those actions, an additional capacity of at least 3 000MW of renewable energy (wind and solar) shall be put into operation and connected to the grid by 30 June 2026.

Reform 2. Improving corporate governance of state-owned companies in the energy sector

The reform focuses on improving the corporate governance of state-owned enterprises, concentrating on the energy sector. In particular, the reform shall improve the transparency and competitiveness of the selection and appointment of members of the management and/or supervisory boards of state-owned companies in the energy sector. Those boards shall be appointed with a 4-year mandate and the system of remuneration shall be based on quantitative and qualitative objectives related to financial and service performance.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022. The reform shall also complete the listing of at least 15 % shares of Hidroelectrica by 30 June 2023.

Reform 3. Green budgeting

Romania currently makes no use of green budgetary practices. The objective of this reform is to allow the monitoring of green budgetary expenditure and the assessment of the environmental and climate impact of fiscal policy. Under this reform, the Ministry of Finance shall develop and apply a methodology for assessing the impact of individual budget lines on environmental objectives, in line with the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities and the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). The reform shall increase the capacity of local public authorities to implement green budgetary practices.

The methodology shall be adopted, published and implemented by 30 September 2023.

Investment 1. New capacities for electricity generation from renewable sources

The objective of the investment is the installation of new renewable power production capacity through a technologically neutral competitive public tender between different technologies (wind and solar). The projects shall comply with the relevant annexes of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) (C(2021) 2800/3) under the Taxonomy Regulation (EU) (2020/852).

The investment shall consist in grants for the construction of the selected installations, with the objective of installing 950MW of renewables power production capacity, or the maximum volume compatible with the tender being held in competitive conditions.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

F.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
113	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Target	Decommissioning of coal-fired power-production capacity		Megawatts (MW)	0	1 695	Q4	2021	1 695MW of coal-fired installed electricity production capacity have been decommissioned.
114	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Milestone	Entry into force of the Decarbonisation law adopting the coal/lignite phase-out calendar	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q2	2022	By Q2 2022, a decarbonisation law (and any secondary legislation) shall enter into force with a timetable up to 2032 for: -Decommissioning of the total coal/lignite fired installed electricity production capacity (i.e., 4 590MW). -Measures relating to the rehabilitation of mines to be closed (e.g., salvaging soil in mined areas such as topsoil and revegetation, waste deposits, post-closure land use for the landform). -Measures for upskilling (professional reconversion and retraining), and other measures with a socio-economic impact on the affected communities.
115	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Target	Decommissioning of lignite-fired power-production capacity		Megawatts (MW)	1 695	2 355	Q4	2022	A cumulative 2 355MW of coal and lignite-fired installed electricity production capacity have been decommissioned.
116	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Milestone	Entry into force of the New Energy Law	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Energy Law				Q2	2023	-Entry into force of a new Energy Law (and of any required secondary legislation) which shall: Implement the Contracts for Difference (CfD); -Establish renewables Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs); -Simplify the licensing and permitting procedures for renewables investments, short and binding administrative response times and accountability procedures for unnecessary delays, reduction of the necessary documentation and procedures, introduction of a new dedicated framework for offshore renewables plants; -implement Demand Side Response in the balancing market.
117	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Milestone	Signature of contracts for Difference for renewable sources	Signature of all contracts				Q4	2023	Signature of contracts following the first round of tender procedures for the allocation of Contracts for Difference (CfD) to promote the production of electricity (at least 1 500MW of installed capacity) from renewable sources, in accordance with the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
118	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Milestone	Signature of contracts for Difference for renewable sources	Signature of award of all contracts				Q2	2025	Signature of contracts following the second round of tender procedures for the allocation of Contracts for Difference (CfD) to promote the production of electricity (at least 2 000MW of additional installed capacity) from renewable sources, in accordance with the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
119	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Target	Decommissioning of lignite-fired power production capacity		Megawatts (MW)	2 355	3 780	Q4	2025	A cumulative 3 780MW of coal and lignite-fired installed electricity production capacity have been decommissioned and partly replaced by 1 300MW future-proof, flexible and efficient gas-fired power production or gas-fired Combined Heat and Power, enabled for the use of renewable and low-carbon gases.
120	Reform 1. Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	Target	Additional renewables capacity commissioned		Megawatts (MW)	4 408	7 408	Q2	2026	At least 3 000MW of additional renewables capacity (wind and solar) compared to the existing installed capacity (wind and solar) have been commissioned and connected to the grid.
121	Reform 2. Improving corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the energy sector	Milestone	Improving corporate governance of State-owned companies in the energy sector	The selection and appointment of management boards is completed				Q4	2022	Selection and appointment of the members of the management and/or supervisory boards of all national state-owned enterprises (SOEs) under the remit of Ministry of Energy (e.g., Hidroelectrica, Romgaz, Nuclearelectrica) on the basis of a transparent and competitive procedure with a mandate of 4 years and a remuneration scheme based on quantitative and qualitative objectives linked to the financial (such as revenue and return, involvement of state budget) and service performance (such as based on a representative customer satisfaction survey by an independent body) of the undertaking.
122	Reform 2. Improving corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the energy sector	Milestone	Listing of at least 15% shares of Hidroelectrica completed	Completion of the Initial Public Offer				Q2	2023	Following the publication of the listing prospectus, a stake of at least 15% of Hidroelectrica shall be traded on the exchange after an initial public offer.
123	Reform 3. Green budgeting	Milestone	Finalising and applying a green budgetary planning methodology	Development and start of application of a green budgetary planning methodology				Q3	2023	The Ministry of Finance shall finalise and apply a methodology for assessing the impact of individual budget lines on environmental objectives in line with the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities and the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). The methodology shall be adopted, published, and enter into application and shall allow monitoring green budget expenditure and the assessment of environmental and climate impact of fiscal policy.
124	Investment 1. New capacities for electricity generation from renewable sources	Milestone	Opening a call for tender for projects for the production of energy from renewable sources (wind and solar)	Publication of the tender specifications				Q1	2022	A call for tender for the selection of projects for the production of energy from renewable sources (wind and solar) is published. The selection criteria shall ensure compliance with the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). The measure shall be open for both SMEs and large investors.
125	Investment 1. New capacities for electricity generation from renewable sources	Target	Additional capacity installed from renewable sources (wind and solar)		Megawatts (MW)	0	950	Q2	2024	950 MW capacity of renewables (wind and solar) commissioned and connected to the grid, in compliance with the conditions in milestone 124, or the maximum volume compatible with the tender being held in competitive conditions.

F.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 4. Developing a favourable legislative and regulatory framework for future technologies, in particular hydrogen and storage solutions

The objective of the reform is to amend the existing legislative and regulatory framework to introduce measures to support and facilitate the deployment of renewable hydrogen, with a focus on the transport and energy (gas and electricity) sectors. In particular, the reform shall develop a National Hydrogen Strategy and a Strategy Action Plan, setting the timetable for the implementation of the measures in the Strategy. The reform shall remove any legislative and administrative obstacles for the development of the renewable hydrogen technology and contribute to the achievement of the future national and European targets for the production, storage, transport and use of renewable hydrogen by 2030.

By way of regulation, hydrogen-ready appliances (such as boilers) and equipment shall be mandatory as of 1 January 2026 for all new installations.

In line with Article 7 (2) of the Recovery and Resilience Regulation, Romania has requested technical support through the instrument on technical assistance for the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy, including the definition of a set of policies to guide, coordinate and mobilise public and private investment in the areas of production, storage, transport and consumption/use of hydrogen (renewable gases), including the revision of the legislative framework necessary to stimulate this area. The amendments to the legislative and regulatory framework based on the National Hydrogen Strategy and relevant Action Plan shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

Reform 5. Reducing the energy intensity of the economy by developing a sustainable mechanism to boost energy efficiency in industry

The objective of the reform is to facilitate investments in energy efficiency in industry and increase the resilience of the industrial sector.

The reform shall: i) remove obstacles to energy performance contracting; ii) introduce market surveillance for energy efficiency to ensure product compliance with eco-design standards, iii) improve SMEs awareness of energy efficiency measures, programmes and benefits; iv) create a monitoring system for the implementation of the recommendations from energy audits in the ETS sectors; v) introduce new standards for green financial instruments.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Reform 6. Increasing competitiveness and decarbonisation of the heating — cooling sector

The objective of the reform is to contribute to the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector.

The reform shall: i) clarify the framework of responsibilities between central and local authorities for the management of the heating and cooling sector and extend the application of the Corporate Governance Act to district heating suppliers; ii) ensure the sustainability and traceability of biomass to prevent any negative impact of bioenergy use on biodiversity and forests and diversify the energy mix in heating and cooling outside forest biomass; iii) allow apartment blocks and their associations of tenants to produce and sell excess solar and possibly wind energy in more flexible forms, by creating net metering schemes, simplifying connection procedures and introducing incentives.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 2: Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage

The objective of this investment is to contribute to the deployment of green hydrogen in line with the EU Strategy for hydrogen.

The investment has two sub-investments: the construction of a gas distribution network enabling the transport of green hydrogen in the Oltenia region and the installation of electrolysers for the production of green hydrogen.

The objective of the first sub-investment is to build at least 1 870km of network for the distribution of green hydrogen in the Oltenia region.

It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, the distribution network shall carry at least 20 % of renewable hydrogen (by volume) when commissioned by 30 June 2026 and 100% renewable hydrogen and/or other renewable gases in 2030. To obtain the award of the contract, the operator shall demonstrate that the technical features of the infrastructure enable the transport of renewables gases, including green hydrogen. The operator shall also indicate the source of supply of required volumes of green hydrogen to be blended with natural gas to reach the minimum blending of 20% at the time of commissioning. Moreover, digital systems and components integrating ICT, control systems and sensor technologies shall be an integral part of the measure to enable the interactive and intelligent monitoring, metering, quality control and management of hydrogen production, transmission, distribution and consumption within the network. To ensure the safe use of the network with the blending of at least 20% hydrogen, legislative changes foreseen in Reform 2 shall ensure that only hydrogen-ready appliances and equipment shall be connected to this network.

The objective of the second sub-investment is the installation of green hydrogen production capacities of at least 100 MW in electrolysers, producing at least 10 000 tonnes of hydrogen from renewable sources by 31 December 2025.

Investment 3: Development of flexible and highly-efficient gas-fired electricity and heat generation (CHP), district heating, to achieve deep decarbonisation

The objective of the investment is to contribute to addressing Romania’s challenges in the transition away from coal and lignite energy sources. In particular, the investment shall ensure the provision of heat to consumers in the context of the phasing out of coal-fired power and heat production.

The investment shall lead to the installation of at least 300 MW electricity production capacity of future-proof, flexible and high-efficient gas-fired Combined Heat and Power enabled for the use of renewable and low-carbon gases.

-Reform 2 in component 6, combined with Investment 2 in component 6 include credible plans to increase usage of renewable and low-carbon gases through the adoption and implementation of a National Hydrogen Strategy and Action Plan and the installation of renewable hydrogen production capacities; and

-Reform 1 in component 6 results in the closure of coal and lignite power and heat generation facilities, which is significantly more carbon-intensive than the high-efficient gas-fired Combined Heat and Power under this investment. The closure of a cumulative amount of 3 780MW of coal/lignite-fired capacity shall occur by 31 December 2025 and the capacity is significantly higher than the 300 MW gas-fired Combined Heat and Power to be installed under this investment and the 1 300MW of gas-fired capacity that is planned to be installed as a replacement; and

-Reform 1 in component 6 results in at least 3 000MW of additional renewables capacity being installed by 2026, which shows that Romania has a credible trajectory for increasing the share of renewables towards their 2030 renewables target set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan. As Romania intends to increase that target, a second round of auction for the award of Contracts for Difference for renewables shall be launched by 30 June 2025 to demonstrate a credible trajectory for increasing the share of renewables towards the increased target; and

-Reform 1 in component 6 includes concrete reforms and investments to increase the share of renewables, such as the implementation of the Contracts for Difference (CfD), the establishment of renewables Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), the simplification of the licensing and permitting procedures for renewables investments, short and binding administrative response times and accountability procedures for unnecessary delays, reduction of the necessary documentation and procedures, and introduction of a new dedicated framework for offshore renewables plants.

In addition, the National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP), which should have been submitted to the Commission by April 2019 as an EU legal requirement based on the Directive (EU) 2016/2284, shall be approved by 30 June 2022 (see footnote 1 above).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including auxiliary equipment), as well as new electricity storage capacities

The objective of the investment is to increase the flexibility of the electricity grid and to contribute to the integration of additional renewables generation capacities.

The investment has three sub-investments:

-The first sub-investment in the battery value chain (manufacturing, assembly, and recycling) shall achieve a total battery manufacturing and assembly yearly capacity of at least 2GW by 31 December 2025, following a call for projects with selection criteria ensuring compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). These criteria shall in particular exclude activities related to waste landfills, incinerators 2 and mechanical biological treatment plants 3 from support under this measure, as well as activities related to the mining of raw materials.

-The second sub-investment in the value chain of photovoltaic cells and panels (manufacturing, assembly, and recycling) shall achieve a total yearly capacity of at least 200MW of photovoltaic cells and panels by 31 December 2025, following a call for projects with selection criteria ensuring compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). These criteria shall in particular exclude activities related to waste landfills, incinerators 4 and mechanical biological treatment plants 5 from support under this measure, as well as activities related to the mining of raw materials.

-The objective of the third sub-investment is to install a total electricity storage capacity of at least 240MW (or 480MWh) by 31 December 2025, following a call for projects with selection criteria ensuring compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 5. Ensuring energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

The objective of the investment is to increase the energy efficiency of the industry, such as reducing energy consumption, developing systems to digitise energy consumption metering, and increasing energy and heat self-consumption.

The investment shall achieve at least a 30 % reduction in direct and indirect GHG emissions compared to ex-ante emissions for at least 50 projects, to be monitored through an IT platform for centralising and analysing national energy consumption.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude the following list of activities: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 6 ; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 7 ; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators 8 and mechanical biological treatment plants 9 ; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be selected.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

F.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
126	Reform 4. Developing a favourable legislative and regulatory framework for future technologies, in particular hydrogen and storage solutions	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendments to the legislative framework, implementing the National Hydrogen Strategy	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments to the legislative framework				Q1	2023	Entry into force of the amendments to the regulatory framework based on the National Hydrogen Strategy and relevant Action Plan. The amendments shall remove any legislative and administrative obstacles to the development of the renewable hydrogen technology and implement measures needed for the development of the whole renewables hydrogen value chain, including the mandatory use of hydrogen-ready appliances and equipment by end-users by 1 January 2026.
127	Reform 5. Reducing the energy intensity of the economy by developing a sustainable mechanism to boost energy efficiency in industry and increase resilience	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to facilitate investment in energy efficiency in the industry	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q4	2022	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to facilitate investment in energy efficiency in the industry. The reform shall: i) remove obstacles to energy performance contracting; ii) introduce market surveillance and application of standards for energy efficiency to ensure product compliance with eco-design standards, iii) improve SMEs awareness of energy efficiency; iv) create a monitoring system for the implementation of the recommendations from energy audits in the ETS sectors; v) introduce new standards for green financial instruments.
128	Reform 6. Increasing competitiveness and decarbonisation of the heating — cooling sector	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q4	2023	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector. The reform shall: i) clarify the framework of responsibilities between central and local authorities for managing the heating and cooling sector and extend the application of the Corporate Governance law to district heating providers; ii) include a review of the framework to ensure the sustainability and traceability of biomass, to prevent any negative impact of the use of bioenergy on biodiversity and forests; iii) diversify the energy mix in heating and cooling away from forest biomass; iv) increase the role of prosumers in renewables production including quantitative compensation.
129	Investment 2. Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the construction of at least 100MW of new electrolysers capacity	Signature of contracts				Q2	2022	Signature of contracts for construction of new electrolysers capacity, of at least 100MW, with an expected volume generated of at least 10 000 tons of renewable hydrogen.
130	Investment 2. Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure) as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	Milestone	Signature of contract for the construction of a hydrogen ready distribution network in the Oltenia region	Signature of contracts				Q4	2023	Signature of contract for the construction of a hydrogen ready distribution network in the Oltenia region. The selection criteria shall ensure compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), in particular the conditions set out in Annex III. In particular, the operator shall demonstrate that the technical features of the infrastructure enable the transport of renewables gases. The operator shall also indicate the source of supply of required volumes of green hydrogen to be blended with natural gas to reach the minimum blending of 20% at the time of commissioning.
131	Investment 2. Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	Target	Production of green hydrogen		Megawatts (MW)	0	100	Q4	2025	Commissioning of at least 100MW electrolysers capacity, with an expected volume generated of at least 10 000 tons of renewable hydrogen.
132	Investment 2. Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	Target	Hydrogen enabled distribution network, completed and in operation in the Oltenia region		Kilometres (km)	0	1870	Q2	2026	The hydrogen ready distribution network in the Oltenia region must be completed and commissioned and shall transport at least 20% renewable hydrogen. To ensure compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the network shall transport 100% renewable hydrogen by 2030.
133	Investment 3. Development of flexible and high-efficient gas-fired combined heat and power generation (CHP) in district heating to achieve deep decarbonisation	Milestone	Signature of contracts for high-efficient gas cogeneration and district heating projects	Signature of contracts				Q2	2022	Signature of contracts for the construction or retrofitting of high-efficient gas cogeneration in district heating as defined in Directive 2010/31/EU. The selection criteria shall ensure compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), in particular the conditions set out in Annex III. The investments shall replace at least the same capacity of significantly more carbon-intensive power plant and/or heat generation facility (such as coal, lignite or oil), leading to a decrease in GHG emissions.
134	Investment 3. Development of flexible and high-efficient gas-fired combined heat and power generation (CHP) in district heating to achieve deep decarbonisation	Target	High-efficient cogeneration plants and district heating		Megawatts (MW)	0	300	Q2	2026	Commissioning of high-efficient Combined Heat and Power in district heating, in compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), in particular the conditions set out in Annex III in accordance with milestone 133.
135	Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), and new electricity storage capacities	Milestone	Signature of contracts for investments in the battery production chain	Signature of contracts				Q3	2022	Signature of contracts for investments in the battery value chain and photovoltaic cells and panels (production - assembly - recycling). The selection criteria shall ensure compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), in particular through the use of exclusions in the areas waste management and mining of raw materials.
136	Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), and new electricity storage capacities	Milestone	Signature of contracts under the Battery Storage Support Scheme	Signature of contracts				Q3	2022	Signature of contracts for the development of battery storage capacity of at least 240MW. The selection criteria shall ensure compliance with the “do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), in particular through the use of exclusions in the areas of waste management and mining of raw materials.
137	Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), and new electricity storage capacities	Target	Battery production and/or assembly and/or recycling plants commissioned		Gigawatts (GW)	0	2	Q4	2025	Commissioning of battery manufacturing and assembly capacities plants with a total capacity of at least 2GW per year.
138	Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), and new electricity storage capacities	Target	Photovoltaic cells and panels capacity commissioned		Megawatts (MW)	0	200	Q4	2025	Commissioning of photovoltaic cells and panels production with a total capacity of at least 200MW per year.
139	Investment 4. Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), and new electricity storage capacities	Target	Electricity storage capacity installed		Megawatts (MW)	0	240	Q4	2025	Commissioning of at least 240MW of electricity storage capacity, in accordance with the Do No Significant Harm conditions set out in the “Do No Significant Harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) and in milestone 136.
140	Investment 5. Ensuring energy efficiency in the industrial sector	Milestone	Opening of a call for tender for energy efficiency investments for the industry	Publication of tender specifications				Q2	2022	Launch of call for the selection of energy efficiency projects in industry. The selection criteria shall require: - the achievement of at least 30% reduction in indirect and direct GHG emissions compared to the ex-ante emissions, to be monitored through an IT platform for centralising and analysing national energy consumption; - compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation.
141	Investment 5. Ensuring energy efficiency in the industrial sector	Target	Completed energy efficiency projects		Number	0	50	Q4	2025	Completion of at least 50 energy efficiency projects in industry achieving at least 30 % reduction in indirect and direct GHG emissions compared to the ex-ante emissions to be monitored through an IT platform for centralising and analysing national energy consumption, in line with the conditions for compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), as set out in milestone 140.

G.COMPONENT 7: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

This component of the recovery and resilience plan addresses digitalisation challenges related to the public administration such as fragmentation, interoperability as a major obstacle in the development of the end-user centred digital services, bureaucratic barriers to obtaining building permits necessary for network constructions, low basic and advanced digital skills, exposure to cyber risks. Against this background, the objective of this component is to tackle all these challenges and to achieve a coherent and integrated digital infrastructure for the benefit of citizens and businesses, while providing the necessary tools (such as connectivity, skills development or cybersecurity) for the transition to a digitalised economy and society. In particular, the component includes reforms necessary to set up the governmental cloud and to ensure interoperability, improving connectivity, increasing the protection and the cybersecurity of public and private entities and increasing the digital competences for the public sector. The investments underpinning the reforms range from the development of the governmental cloud to digitalisation of health, judiciary, environment, employment and social protection, public procurement, non-governmental organisations, connectivity for white areas, ensuring cybersecurity for different structures and increasing the skills both in cybersecurity and for civil servants and the population at large. One key investment refers to the deployment of the electronic identity card for the Romanian citizens.

The component is structured in 4 reforms and 19 investments.

These investments and reforms shall contribute to address Romania’s country-specific recommendations of the past two years to “Improve skills, including digital” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019) and to “strengthen skills and digital learning” and “focus investment on the green and digital transition, […], digital service infrastructure” (country-specific recommendations 2 and 3, 2020).

G.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system

The objective of this reform is to modernise the public administration by adopting advanced technologies and focusing on the citizens and businesses’ needs, while ensuring the prerequisites for data-driven policy development and increasing the interoperability of existing digital technologies. Furthermore, the reform shall support the development of an integrated architecture of public digital services.

The implementation of this reform shall consist in two lines of action. First, the entry into force of the Information Systems Interoperability Law is expected to detail the uniform set of standards and rules that public entities shall apply for the development of applications in a secure and sustainable environment, while aligning with the European Interoperability Framework. Second, the entry into force of the Government Cloud Act is expected to set out the responsibilities and tasks regarding the design, implementation, development and management of the cloud infrastructure, technologies and services. Cybersecurity shall be provided for both for the external and internal protection of the cloud, applying the most advanced and economically efficient cyber-security available solutions.

A temporary task force formed by specialists is expected to be put in place for the monitoring and implementation of all digital-related measures in the Romanian recovery and resilience plan.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

Reform 2. Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high capacity networks

The objective of this reform is to accelerate the national roll-out of 5G networks, in accordance with security regulations, and provide broadband coverage for white areas (small rural municipalities, isolated localities, disadvantaged inhabited areas), tackling the rural – urban digital divide, reducing the administrative burden and streamlining procedures and fees, creating the prerequisites for equal access to digital services and internet access.

The reform shall include several actions:

-The implementation of Romania’s roadmap applying of the Connectivity Toolbox 10 . Romania is expected to implement 12 out of the 39 recommendations included in the toolbox at EU level.

-The entry into force of the 5G network security law which shall foresee that communication providers shall only be able to use technologies, equipment and software in 5G networks from manufacturers authorised in advance by decision of the Prime Minister, on the basis of the opinion of the Supreme Council of National Defence. Each manufacturer of 5G equipment and software shall have to apply for this authorisation, which shall be submitted to the Ministry responsible for Communications.

-The (auction for) granting the so called ”5G licenses” (i.e. in the 700 MHz, 1500 MHz and 3,4 – 3,8 GHz bands). Long term licences are envisaged as per the European Electronic Communications Code criteria to efficiently stimulate 5G, promote competition and end-users’ rights.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Reform 3. Ensuring cybersecurity of public and private entities owning critical value infrastructure

The objective of this reform is to continue the process of strengthening the resilience of the public and private entities owning critical infrastructure against cyber risks.

The implementation of this reform shall establish the legal and institutional framework for the organisation and conduct of activities in the areas of cybersecurity and cyber defence, cooperation mechanisms and responsibilities of institutions in these areas by finalisation and entry into force of the Defence and Cybersecurity Law. Furthermore, the Cyberint National Centre coordinates the preparation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2021-2026, which includes provisions regarding regular assessments and updates of the cybersecurity regulatory and institutional framework aiming to strengthen the public-private-academic partnership to increase the cyber resilience of society as a whole, to develop the capacity to respond to cyber-attacks and the resilience of systems, networks and services and to consolidate the role of Romania in the cybersecurity architecture at international level.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Reform 4. Increasing digital competence for public service and digital education throughout the life for citizens

The objective of this reform is to support the digitalisation of the economy and the transition to industry 4.0 and to align the labour market to the latest developments in this sector.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of the amendment of the Classifications of Occupations Code including the definition of new digital occupations, equivalent to other EU countries. An analysis shall be performed as well as consultations with universities and other relevant stakeholders.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Investment 1. Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure

The objective of this investment is to deploy the government cloud infrastructure, using secure and energy-efficient technologies to ensure the safe, interoperable and standard character of the public data.

The implementation of this investment shall include: i) the construction of Tier IV data centres by design for the two main data centres and Tier III by design for secondary ones, ii) provision of specific communication and information technology infrastructure, iii) development and expansion of the support infrastructure (electricity, physical security measures), iv) deployment of scalable and high-availability IT&C infrastructure in each data centre. The data centres shall be compliant with the “European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency”. 11

This implementation of this investment shall be supported by an assessment performed by an external consultant which is expected to provide the strategic and technological options and the legislative and regulatory package to determine the achievement of the Government Cloud, the possibilities for the construction, delivery, installation and operation of civilian and technological infrastructures in accordance with the deadlines laid down in the Plan, mapping of public digital applications/services currently offered by state authorities of, design of processes and procedures implemented in production and/or at implementation stages and the cloud development/migration plan of the mapped applications.

At least 30 public institutions shall be connected and use the Government Cloud.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 2. Cloud development and migration

The objective of this investment is to upgrade the technologies used in public institutions so that they become cloud ready, while also developing new cloud-native applications for cloud migration.

The implementation of this investment is expected to lead to a minimum of cloud-ready/virtualised applications to migrate in the cloud, based on the analysis that shall be developed by the external consultant to support the government in the deployment of the government cloud. It is expected that at least 30 government cloud-native digital service applications are migrated in Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system

The objective of this investment is to reduce working time for healthcare providers, the National Health Insurance House and Health Insurance House employees, while ensuring cybersecurity of the Health Insurance IT Platform (PIA). The capacity of central, regional and local health institutions shall be further strengthened to digitally manage health data and the uptake of telemedicine solutions shall be sped up.

The investment also aims to foster the integration of health institutions through digital infrastructure, easing the access to data for the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders (such as public health directorates), reducing fragmentation and increasing the quality of health data.

The investment equally aims at increasing the access of rural areas and small urban areas and vulnerable groups to specialised consultations, while reducing the waiting time by using telemedicine. Increasing the access to information and education to prevent unplanned pregnancies and family planning are also targeted by telemedicine.

Several steps shall be followed in the implementation phase of this investment. First, a needs assessment for the current PIA, mapping the available infrastructure and existing gaps shall be conducted. Second, PIA shall be transformed through a software solution from a modular and fragmented system to a system that is interoperable, user-friendly and has optimised data flows, electronic monitoring of objectives, activities and performance indicators of the healthcare providers and with new functionalities (such as digitalisation of medical related documents. The role of PIA shall be extended beyond the National Health Insurance House through the development of additional modules for all the institutions involved in health policies at national level for modular disease registries and interface for telemedicine and patient monitoring. Communication between patient and doctor and between doctors is expected to be supported, focusing in particular on vulnerable groups or regions. The investment shall be underpinned by training and acquisition of equipment. Furthermore, new computer modules and applications shall be developed as well as new digital registration and administration systems, based on interoperable and centralised data. A telemedicine system shall be designed to provide real time and asynchronous access to specialised consultations for patients in rural and small urban areas.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

Investment 4. Digitalisation of the judiciary

The objective of this investment is to support the preparation and transition of the Romanian judicial system to a centralised electronic case management system. Romania is already developing using other EU funds the ECRIS system (electronic case management system) and the recovery and resilience plan shall complement the efforts in this regard.

The investment consists of the following actions:

-the technical transition from local to shared central servers – it shall optimise the management and usage of technical resources (central servers, data centres, virtualisation servers).

-upgrade and finalisation of the technical infrastructure for teleworking and digitalisation of documents with the aim of increasing the resilience of the judicial system.

-improvement of cybersecurity capabilities (by providing equipment and training) both at central and local level (in particular to courts, but also to prosecutors’ offices).

-implementation of a new system allowing secure videoconferencing for the participation of judges in online activities at the level of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

-support the finalisation of ECRIS V system, which is the central element of the digital transformation of the judiciary in Romania. The development of the system, a part of procurement of related software and supporting hardware and the training of users is financed by the Operational Programme Administrative Capacity. Under the recovery and resilience plan, complementary measures shall be financed (such as: procurement of a part of the supporting equipment as part of the virtualisation project which shall facilitate the transition from ECRIS IV to ECRIS V, the setting up of the data centre for the judiciary which shall also host ECRIS V, procurement of PCs and other equipment for the end-users).

This investment underpins the strategy for the development of the judiciary 2022-2025 which includes specific measures to ensure digital interaction of the litigant and any interested entity with the judiciary, electronic signature and electronic seal, availability of improved data communication for e-file (which is an option for litigants to electronically access the judicial files), elaboration of a cross-judicial sector strategy for the digitisation of the physical archive (milestone 421).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 5. Digitalisation in the field of the environment

The objective of this investment is to implement an integrated IT system to support sustainable development, improve infrastructure and environmental quality, protect nature and preserve biodiversity.

The investment consists in two main actions:

-the development of the necessary infrastructure for the supervision, control and assurance of forest integrity and the transport of wood. This system shall be implemented in two phases (installation and configuration of the IT system and implementation of security solutions for confidentiality, training, operationalisation of a platform for investigations and alerts). The system shall be integrated with SUMAL 2.0 (the Romanian Wood Traceability System currently under development) and shall monitor legal obligations related to wood harvesting, timely forest regeneration, forest health, forest habitat conservation status, climate change impacts and adaptation to climate change of different forest ecosystems. The system’s data centres shall comply with the “European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency”.

-the digitalisation of 32 environmental public services (such as transmission of data and information necessary for the calculation and reporting of emission inventories, Natura 2000 reporting, nature Conservation - service on derogations and by-catches of strictly protected species, the management of the national register of zoo gardens, public aquariums and rehabilitation centres, ecosystem management service, the management plans of protected natural areas, the management of the register of authorisations issued by the county environmental agencies for the activities of harvesting / capturing and / or commercialization of the species of wild flora and fauna carried out by individuals and legal entities, the management of notification and authorization procedures in the field of GMMs (genetically modified micro-organisms) and GMOs (genetically modified organisms), public service notifications SEVESO - service for accident / incident notifications sent by economic operators, as well as classification notifications within the meaning of Directive 2012/18/ EU (SEVESO III), with interoperability with IGSU, EMAS registration service - manages organizations that adhere to a community eco-management and audit scheme, EPRTR application for reporting purposes of the economic operators, Service for Industrial Emissions, Service for issuing permits, agreements, authorizations and integrated environmental permits integrated with the document management system, Soil-Underground public service (management of data on potentially contaminated, contaminated and remedy sites), laboratory analysis public service in the field of waste, noise, radioactivity, waste generation and management reporting services, reporting services on the generation and management of waste packaging, end-of-life vehicle reporting service, service on the approval / rejection of cross border waste shipments, service for the registration of producers of batteries and accumulators, service for the registration of manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment and for reporting data on the generation and management of electrical and electronic equipment waste, chemical reporting service in accordance with art. 36 of Regulation 1907/2006 - REACH and art. 46 and 49 of Regulation 1272/2008 – CLP, safety reports for high level sites, major accident prevention policy for low level sites, emergency plan, domino effect between installations, according to the implementation of the EU SEVESO III Directive, service to request the ecological label for legal entities, service for presenting the cases of environmental damage registered in Romania, monitoring emissions from medium combustion plants, public greenhouse gas emission permit service, registration service for economic operators that are not subject to environmental authorization in order to meet the requirements established by EU Directive 2008/98, service for issuing approvals and evaluation reports (for biocidal products, plant protection products and fertilisers), data reporting service for selective waste collection in public institutions.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 6. Digitalisation in employment and social protection

The objective of this investment is to increase the level of digitalisation for several services in the field of labour and social protection, underpinned by equipment purchases and training for the personnel.

The investment consists in several actions:

-digitalisation of the services offered by ANOFM (National Employment Agency) (such as online submission of documents for registration of beneficiaries and award of benefits, possibility to register and attend online trainings and the assessment of professional competences, online advisory sessions) and upgrade of the IT infrastructure.

-digitalisation of the Territorial Labour Inspectorate (ITM) targeting the control activity in the field of labour relations and occupational safety and health (IT system, electronic signatures, simplification of the notification procedure). Furthermore, REGES-ONLINE project is expected to aims to digitise the Territorial Labour Inspectorates relationship with employers, facilitating the transmission of data about employees and their individual employment contracts.

-digitalisation of social assistance benefits managed by the National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection - ANPIS (including functional IT Systems that for serving Minimum Inclusion Income beneficiaries). For ANPIS is envisaged the development of tools for document and information management, real-time communication channels with citizens, digitalisation and processing tools, while ensuring the security of the data. In addition, in synergy with the reform included in component 13 (social reforms) of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, it is expected the operationalisation of the digital platform for the implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income.

-digital skills trainings for employees of ANOFM, ANPIS and ITM.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 7. Implementation of eForms electronic forms in the field of public procurement

The objective of this investment is to operationalise the standard electronic forms to be used for the publication of public procurement notices, which shall streamline the public procurement practices at national and European level, in line with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780 establishing standard forms for the publication of notices in the field of public procurement and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1986.

The investment shall include an analysis of the legal requirements at EU level and a comparison to the previous forms and shall proceed with the schemes, code lists, business and validation rules and labels, assess the system integration requested, shall adapt e-forms, define and implement the eForms data model, the electronic forms and notifications. Furthermore, the eForms shall be integrated with other tools and services (such as the Business Intelligence system of the National Public Procurement System) and trainings shall be provided for users.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment 8. Qualified electronic identity card and digital signature

The objective of this investment is to support the transition and adoption of the electronic identity card (e-ID card) by the Romanian citizens. The investment is key for facilitating the digital interaction between the public/private entities and citizens.

The investment is expected to deliver 8,5 million electronic identity cards during the national recovery and resilience plan implementation. The e-ID card shall store two digital certificates: i) one which shall make possible the authentication for using public administration online services and ii) an optional one for the qualified electronic signature issued by qualified certification service providers.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 9. Digitalisation of the non-governmental organisations sector

The objective of this investment is to support the digital transformation of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and to increase the level of digital literacy among the employees.

The investment consists of a call for projects and shall award 200 grants (of maximum EUR 70 000 for a period of implementation of maximum 30 months) to NGOs for investments in digital infrastructure, digital skills of staff and volunteers, development of Customer Relationship Management platforms, and purchase of equipment. In addition, under this investment a Resource centre for the digital transformation of NGOs shall be established. The centre shall support the development of IT services and open-source software solutions and technical assistance in the implementation of digital transformation strategies, centralising existing digital resources in an open digital bookshop enabling easier access, assistance, e-learning and training, communities of practice, and customised support in digital transformation processes.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment 10. Digital transformation in civil service management

The objective of this investment is to improve the civil service by reducing bureaucracy and increasing the quality of the public services through a well-trained and professional civil service. This investment is linked to component 14 (Good governance).

The investment consists of operationalising two interoperable platforms:

-e-ANFP – development and extension of the civil service management platform (central, territorial, local level) for all career processes (recruitment, assessment, promotion, exit from the public system, based on a standardised competency framework and job descriptions) and interconnection with collaborating institutions.

-SIMRU (Integrated Human Resources Management System) – development of the internal management platform for public authorities for human resources processes (personnel data management, organisational management, time management, objective setting, and reporting).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 11. Implementation of a scheme to support the use of communication services through different types of instruments for beneficiaries, with a focus on white areas

The objective of this investment is to provide coverage of very high-speed internet access to areas where the market cannot deliver these services on its own (villages, including disadvantaged areas). The minimum speed shall be at least 100 Mbps upgradeable and the networks shall be FTTB/H and/or 5G.

The investment consists of two priority streams: i) the absolute priority which targets totally white rural municipalities not served with fixed networks, but where there is latent demand or socio-economic drivers and ii) the underlying priority which aims for fixed networks where speeds need to be improved and the market fails to cover these needs. The investment shall finance passive infrastructure and active network elements, backhaul and access segment, the setting up of new networks or upgrading existing ones.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 12. Ensuring cybersecurity protection for both public and private IT & C infrastructures with critical value for national security, using smart technologies

The objective of this investment is to strengthen the capacity of the Cyberint national centre and to ensure the security of the infrastructures of a minimum 101 institutions and entities with critical ICT infrastructures at national level (ministries, agencies, energy suppliers/distributors, health, transport, water supply).

The investment consists of several lines of action:

-Providing cybersecurity solutions, equipment and training for entities selected based on the degree of vulnerability to cyber-attacks, potential impact of a cyber-attack on the services provided, the likelihood to be targets to major cyber-attacks, national/regional coverage, and the number of recipients of services provides by the entities.

-Development of the capacities of the Cyberint national centre by operationalising a platform for security and channeling of data for transfer between networks of different confidence levels and increasing the investigative capacity of the centre.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 13. Development of security systems for the protection of the government spectrum

The objective of this investment is to secure the wireless communications in central and local public institutions and authorities. In particular, the investment aims to implement wireless vulnerability prevention mechanisms in communication systems, develop wireless vulnerability detection solutions in communication systems, and create a unified wireless vulnerability management system in communication systems.

The investment shall be implemented by the creation of a new network of sensors distributed at the national level, placed on dedicated reception sites to detect and alert automatically in case of disturbances in the radio governmental spectrum.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment 14. Increase of the resilience and cybersecurity of Internet Service Provider infrastructure services provided to public authorities in Romania

The objective of this investment is to increase the resilience of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) infrastructure for the public authorities, while ensuring their cybersecurity.

The investment consists in update and expansion of the gigabit internet access network for the public administration, upgrade of the cybersecurity capabilities, securing the ISP services (DNS, web, e-mail, hosting). Every county of Romania shall be connected to a national Internet distribution network.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 15. Creation of new cybersecurity skills for society and the economy

The objective of this investment is to support the development of cybersecurity skills both for students, as well as for public and private players.

The investment consists of two main actions:

-the implementation of cybersecurity trainings for 5 000 teachers (at pre-university and university levels) who shall pass their newly acquired knowledge to students all around Romania. This part of the investment shall raise the awareness of cybersecurity and shall contribute to a longlasting effect for the economy and society.

-a toolkit to increase the cybersecurity maturity for 1 000 players shall be developed based on an initial assessment which shall focus on operational, technology and skills of the target group.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 16. Advanced digital skills training programme for civil servants

The objective of this investment is to increase the advanced digital skills of the civil servants, aiming to support the digitalisation of the public services by improving the availability of qualified workforce for internal IT&C operations.

The investment consists in trainings for advanced digital skills (database management, system management, business analysis, data analysis, programming) for 32 500 civil servants (out of which 2 500 seniors). A training needs analysis shall be conducted beforehand.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 17. Funding schemes for libraries to become digital skills hubs

The objective of this investment is to enhance the basic digital skills of communities with limited access to digital training and of marginalised groups. The investments consist of the reconversion of 105 libraries into hubs for the development of digital skills, underpinned by additional funds for 1 030 libraries to change/upgrade their IT equipment. Under this investment, it is expected that basic skills such as digital literacy, communication, media literacy, digital content creator, digital security, and digital entrepreneurial education shall be developed for 100 000 citizens from disadvantaged communities.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

G.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
142	Reform 1. Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	Milestone	Task-force to implement and monitor Digital Transformation reforms and investments established and operational	Entry into force of the ministerial Order for the establishment of the Task force				Q4	2021	The operationalisation of a temporary Digital Transformation Task force that shall employ during the implementation period of the Recovery and Resilience Plan 17 highly specialised contractual posts in the field of digital technologies and project management specialists. The main tasks of this unit are: -the development and implementation of the sectoral components of the national recovery and resilience plan; -monitoring the implementation of the digital related reforms and investments within the national recovery and resilience plan focusing on key projects, and proposing immediate remedial measures for critical blocks in close collaboration with the other institutions involved; -development of project performance management systems in covering specific objectives of the digital pillar; -development and regulation of the regulatory, methodological framework and of the functional, operational and financial procedures in its field of activity; -development of tools for implementing the digital related policies; -project management and reporting of all the stages of completing the objectives established within the digital related measures in the national recovery and resilience plan; -fulfilment of any other attributes necessary to cover the implementation of the digital related national recovery and resilience plan reforms and investments. The task force shall be under the coordination of a director, subordinated to the minister who holds the portfolio of digitalisation.
143	Reform 1. Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	Milestone	Completed analysis for the options for the government cloud architecture	Output report with assessment and recommendations submitted				Q1	2022	The analysis shall present: -the strategic and technological options and the legislative and regulatory package to determine the achievement of the Government Cloud, including interoperability rules and government data governance model; -the possibilities for the construction, delivery, installation and operation of civilian and technological infrastructures in accordance with the deadlines laid down in the Plan; -mapping of public digital applications/services currently offered by state authorities of, design of processes and procedures implemented in production and/or at implementation stages; -the cloud development/migration plan of the mapped applications.
144	Reform 1. Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	Milestone	Entry into force of the law for the governance of cloud services for the government area	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the cloud services governance law				Q2	2022	The new law shall establish a general framework for the development and management of a cloud infrastructure, consisting of a set of information technology, communications and cybersecurity resources and services, shared by the public sector in accordance with the European Cloud Computing Strategy and aligned with the National Interoperability Framework.
145	Reform 1. Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	Milestone	Entry into force of the interoperability law	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the interoperability law				Q2	2022	The new law shall: -be aligned with the provisions of the European Interoperability Framework 12 ; -put in place a framework/governance to support the selection of relevant standards and rules for the development of applications and services by the public sector in a secure and sustainable environment; -operationalise the migration and integration into existing data structures of data, while ensuring interoperability; -ensure that the implementation of functionalities involves aligning the national identification and authorisation infrastructures with EU Member States in a transnational scheme, in accordance with the European rules laid down in the eIDAS Regulation (EU) 2014/910 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market; -take into account the once only principle embedded in the Single Digital Gateway Regulation (EU) 2018/1724.
146	Reform 2. Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high-capacity networks	Milestone	Entry into force of the 5G network security law	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the 5G security law				Q2	2021	Entry into force of the 5G network security law. The main provisions shall target communications providers which shall only be able to use technologies, equipment and software in 5G networks from manufacturers authorised in advance by decision of the Prime Minister, on the basis of the opinion of the Supreme Council of National Defence. Each manufacturer of 5G equipment and software shall have to apply for this authorisation, which shall be submitted to the Ministry responsible for Communications.
147	Reform 2. Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high- capacity networks	Milestone	Publication of the call for tender for the authorisation of telecommunications operators to grant 5G licences	Call for tender is published on ANCOM’s website				Q2	2022	Publication and organisation of a competitive selection procedure (auction) for granting the so called ”5G licenses” (i.e. in the 700 MHz, 1500MHz and 3,4 – 3,8GHz bands). Long term licences are envisaged as per the European Electronic Communications Code criteria, to efficiently stimulate 5G, promote competition and end-users’ rights. The auction procedure shall build on the experiences with past spectrum auctions in Romania (2012 and 2015) and with similar recent proceedings in the EU, and shall incorporate competitive safeguards, market shaping mechanisms and conditions attached to the licences, all of them fit for the Romanian market specificities and dynamics.
148	Reform 2. Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high-capacity networks	Milestone	Recommendations from the EU connectivity toolbox are implemented					Q3	2022	Implementation of Romania’s Roadmap in application of the Connectivity Toolbox 13 is a joint multi-stakeholder effort. As per draft roadmap currently under analysis between relevant ministries, Romania shall implement for 12 out of 39 recommendations: 24 – Promote adequate reserve prices 25 – Timely availability of 5G harmonised bands 28 – Individual authorisation regime for the 24,25-27,5GHz frequency band 31 – Structure of recurrent spectrum fees to incentivise roll-out 38 – Coordinated and targeted communication for informing and educating on 5G implementation 39 – Inform the public on the compliance of Radio Base Stations installations with applicable EMF safe limits. All these recommendations are expected to be finalised by 2021, while 2 – Provide model regulations on electronic communications network deployment 3 – Provide informative materials and workshops for municipalities and other competent authorities 11 – Ensure the availability of information from different sources and enhance transparency of planned civil works 26 – review National Spectrum Plans on a regular basis 32 – Use financial aid as a complement to incentivise investments 35 – Make use of harmonised technical conditions developed by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)/Electronic Communications Committee (ECC), if common dedicated frequency ranges are deemed necessary All shall be finalised in 2022.
149	Reform 2. Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high-capacity networks	Milestone	Assignment of the rights of use of radio spectrum	Rights of use assigned				Q3	2022	The “5G” radio frequency licences shall be assigned based on the results of the competitive selection procedure /auction in milestone 147.
150	Reform 3. Ensuring cybersecurity of public and private entities owning critical value infrastructure	Milestone	Adoption of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2021-2026	Adoption of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2021-2026 by the government				Q4	2021	The National Cybersecurity Strategy 2021-2026 shall be adopted and shall include provisions regarding: -regular assessments and updates of the cybersecurity regulatory and institutional framework, -strengthening the public-private-academic partnership to increase the cyber resilience of society as a whole, -development of the capacity to respond to cyber-attacks and the resilience of systems, networks and services -consolidation of the role of Romania in the cybersecurity architecture at international level.
151	Reform 3. Ensuring cybersecurity of public and private entities owning critical value infrastructure	Milestone	Entry into force of the law on Defence and Cyber Security of Romania	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law on Defence and Cyber and Security of Romania				Q4	2022	The law on Defence and Cyber Security of Romania shall establish the legal and institutional framework for organising and conducting activities in the fields of cybersecurity and cyber defence, cooperation mechanisms and responses of institutions in the fields concerned.
152	Reform 4. Increasing digital competence for public service and digital education throughout life for citizens	Milestone	Entry into force of the ministerial order of the Minister of Labour and the National Institute of Statistics President for the definition of new digital occupations in the Classification of Occupations (COR)	Provision in the order of the Minister of Labour and National Institute of Statistics President indicating the entry into force of the amendment defining new digital occupations in the COR.				Q3	2022	The ministerial order of the minister of Labour and the National Institute of Statistics President shall define the new digital occupations at the level of the Romanian Classification of Occupations (COR) equivalent to those existing in the countries of the European Union with good practices in digitalisation. A diagnosis study/analysis shall be carried out to provide a forecasting for the next five years of the labour needs in the context of the digital transformation of the economy and the transition to industry 4.0 including recommendations for defining new digital occupations in the official classification of occupations.
153	Investment 1. Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	Milestone	Signature of the contract to implement the investment based on the call for tenders procedure to implement the investment	Signature of contract				Q2	2022	Signature of the contract for the implementation of government cloud infrastructure. The institutions responsible for the call for tender and the implementation of this investment are the Special Telecommunication Services and the Authority for the Digitization of Romania. The implementation of the Government Cloud shall involve at least the following stages: -construction of Tier IV by design data centres for the two main centres and Tier III by design for the secondary ones; -providing specific communications infrastructure and information technology (optic fibre cables and high-capacity communications equipment); -development / expansion of the electricity supply network for each data centre in order to ensure redundancy and electricity demand; -achieving a scalable and redundant air conditioning infrastructure, energy efficient for each data centre; -installation of the inert gas fire detection and extinguishing system to ensure the protection for the entire infrastructure of each data centre; -implementation of the physical security system (access control, video monitoring, anti-burglary) for the developed infrastructure; -implementation of the infrastructure monitoring and management network within the realized facility; -realization of scalable and high availability IT&C infrastructure (processing equipment, storage, communications, virtualization software) within each data centre; -acquisition of the necessary licenses and specialized equipment for the perimeter cyber security. -Security shall be provided by the government cloud infrastructure administrator.
154	Investment 1. Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	Target	Public institutions connected through the government cloud		Number	0	30	Q4	2024	At least 30 public institutions connected and fully using the Government Cloud, in accordance with the provisions under milestone 153. Public institutions shall exchange data with each other through the Government cloud infrastructure.
155	Investment 1. Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	Target	Tier III and Tier IV data centres by design, infrastructure and technologies for cloud services		Number	0	4	Q4	2025	Two tier III and two Tier IV data centres by design, hardware and software cloud (Infrastructure-as-a-Service - IaaS/Platform-as-a-Service - PaaS/Software-as-a Service - SaaS) functional, in accordance with the provisions under milestone 153. The Data Centres shall comply with the “European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency”.
156	Investment 2. Cloud development and migration	Target	Governmental digital service applications migrated into Infrastructure-as-a-Service - IaaS/Platform-as-a-Service - PaaS/		Number	0	5	Q2	2025	Number of government cloud-native digital service applications in PaaS and migration of existing cloud-ready/virtualised in IaaS, following the analysis developed under milestone 143. The applications/services shall be developed for public authorities/ institutions in order to help them to provide the public services that are their responsibilities, so are not used for economic activities.
157	Investment 2. Cloud development and migration	Target	Governmental digital service applications migrated into Infrastructure-as-a-Service - IaaS/Platform-as-a-Service - PaaS		Number	5	30	Q2	2026	Number of government cloud-native digital service applications in PaaS and migration of existing cloud-ready/virtualised in IaaS, following the analysis developed under milestone 143. The applications/services shall be developed for public authorities/ institutions in order to help them to provide the public services that are their responsibilities, so are not used for economic activities.
158	Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	Target	Public health institutions digitalised		Number	0	60	Q2	2023	At least 60 public health institutions shall be digitalised. Institutions with responsibilities in the field of health include: public health directorates, public health institutes, the national medicinal product agency, the national public health and management school and the Ministry of Health. The digitisation process shall include: 1. Investing in IT systems and digital infrastructure (IT equipment, licences, IT software, communication systems) for the following institutions: Ministry of Health, District Public Health Authorities (Health statistics, Health administration (health planning) and decision support (Spending review, National health accounts, HR management, HR – register, decision support); County ambulance services (including the Bucharest - Ilfov Ambulance Service), the National Institute of Public Health, the National Institute of Sports Medicine, the National Institute of Transfusion Hematology "Prof. Dr. CT Nicolau", the National Transplant Agency, the Central Storage Office for Special Situations, National Register of Voluntary Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors, National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices, forensic institutes, National Center for Mental Health and Anti-Drug Control Bucharest, National School of Public Health, Management and Training in Health Bucharest. Surveillance system for communicable diseases, Health statistics, decision support, Registers for transplant for stem cells). 2. Technical assistance for the development and integration of digital health solutions in the health system. 3. Training for staff to learn how to operate the IT applications. The training shall be supported from the national recovery and resilience plan for 2 970 employees. Priority shall be given to healthcare providers in remote or poor areas.
159	Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	Milestone	Telemedicine system deployed					Q4	2024	The telemedicine system shall be accessible to a broad range of relevant healthcare providers, with the possibility to be deployed widely across the country, with a focus on rural areas and small urban areas. The rural areas and small urban areas where the telemedicine system shall be deployed in shall be selected based on several factors, including: -current access to healthcare (measured by number of general practitioners or family doctors/population), by prioritising the areas with less access to healthcare. -less developed regions (as per EU classification, measured by GDP/capital), by prioritising areas outside Bucharest and Ilfov County. The system shall ensure both real-time remote consultations via videoconferencing and live data transmission or asynchronous connections. The deployment of the telemedicine system shall ensure that at least 200 000 telemedicine consultations shall be provided in the last year (Q3/2025-Q2/2026) of the RRP implementation.
160	Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	Milestone	New PIA (Health insurance IT platform) is operational	PIA (Health Insurance IT platform operational				Q2	2025	The new PIA (Health Insurance IT platform) is expected to: -ensure a user-friendly and accessible environment for users, including those with disabilities; -improve the interconnection and interoperability; -allow for new functionalities (e.g. digitalisation of medical related documents); -optimise data flows, electronic monitoring of general objectives, specific objectives, activities and performance indicators assumed at the level of the National insurance house/healthcare provider. The platform includes the following characteristics: Update of the Single Integrated Informatics System (SIUI), the National Health Insurance Card System (CEAS) and the National Electronic Prescribing System (SIPE). The update aims to replace servers, rewrite their applications in modern ready –to-cloud technology and replace other IT and communications devices. SIUI contains Online Validation Modules of Services Provided for Settlement on Each Type of Provider (Specialist Outpatient Hospitals, Specialist Physicians, Family Physicians, Pharmacies, Medical Device Providers).
161	Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	Target	Digitalisation of 200 public health facilities		Number	0	200	Q2	2025	200 public health facilities shall benefit from: -IT systems and digital infrastructure of public health units. Hospitals IT systems shall include patient health record management, admission and discharge, pharmacy, warehouse management, facility management, Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) grouper and DRG coding support, health statistics, financial management, cost accounting, quality management, payroll and HR management, financial reports for the financing agency, decision support and ambulatory IT system; -Strengthening telemedicine and mobile patient monitoring systems. The Hospital IT systems should be interoperable with the telemedicine systems (monitoring module and ambulatory specialist consultation module) and the specialists from the hospital ambulatories should be able to provide teleconsultations and also to monitor outpatients and chronic patients with the support of the homecare providers or family doctors/general practitioners; -Technical assistance for the development and integration of digital health solutions in the health system. -Training for staff to learn how to operate the IT applications. The training shall be supported from RRF for 3 000 doctors.
162	Investment 3. Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	Target	Healthcare providers connected to the new PIA platform		Number	0	25 000	Q3	2025	25 000 healthcare providers (Hospitals, outpatient specialist, ambulatories, laboratories, family doctors, pharmacies, medical devices providers, home care) shall be connected to the new PIA platform.
163	Investment 4. Digitalisation of the judiciary	Milestone	Virtualization and centralization of business applications operationalised	National (centralized) Electronic File (e-file) operational and judicial case management virtualized in fewer location				Q2	2023	In order to reduce the operational risk of the existing case management system (i.e., the Electronic Court Record Information System, version ECRIS IV) and to introduce a modern alternative for electronic access of the case files (“e-file”), this investment shall: -use “virtualization” for reducing the number of servers from around 270 locations to 60 locations (not full centralization due to limitation on data communication for short term and old technology for ECRIS IV); -“centralize” the 4 existing extensions of e-file in a single national “e-file” through which litigants shall be able to easily and securely access documents in court files. Also, a major strategic objective is to accelerate and ensure an easy transition to next version of ECRIS (ECRIS V). Thus, the concrete aim of the “virtualisation and centralization” proposed in national recovery and resilience plan is the technological upgrade of the IT infrastructure of the judiciary by: -increasing the data transmission capacity in the WAN (increasing the bandwidth), needed for the proper functioning of the electronic case management system in a centralised configuration; -ensuring an adequate processing and storage capacity at the level of tribunals and courts of appeal in order to centralise justice applications and achieve efficient management of IT resources in courts; -increasing the security and availability of services offered to the general public by implementing the National Electronic File (e-file).
164	Investment 4. Digitalisation of the judiciary	Milestone	Operationalisation of ECRIS V (electronic case record and information system) completed	ECRIS V system operational and functional				Q4	2025	The central element of the digital transformation of the judiciary is the implementation of a new case management system (ECRIS V), which shall allow, on one hand, the digital interaction of the litigant and any interested entity with the judiciary, and on the other hand, a better and enlarged digital interaction between the institutions at level of the judicial system and between them and other adjacent institutions. The new version, ECRIS V shall have a centralized architecture and shall allow also the digital interaction of the litigant and any interested entity with the judiciary, and a better and enlarged digital interaction between the institutions at level of the judicial system and between them and other adjacent institutions.
165	Investment 4. Digitalisation of the judiciary	Milestone	Central public authorities in the judicial field digitalised	Data transmission capacity in the WAN of central public authorities in the judicial field increased				Q2	2026	For improving e-government and accelerating digital transformation in the judicial sector, public authorities in the field of central justice shall benefit from the following technological upgrades which include: -LAN and WAN communications. This shall allow for better videoconferencing in line with the latest legislation adopted during the COVID pandemic; -IT Security equipment and solutions for cyber protection; -IT terminals / peripherals -upgrading and expanding the number of video conferencing systems from 400 to 600; -specialized equipment – for complex legal investigation such as audio and video surveillance, specialized equipment for critical processes (digital microscopes for forensic expertise).
166	Investment 4. Digitalisation of the judiciary	Milestone	Data centre operational	Data centre is established and operational				Q2	2026	A new data centre is operationalised for the use of the Ministry of Justice, the Public Ministry and the subordinated institutions, interoperable with the government cloud developed under the national recovery and resilience plan.
167	Investment 5. Digitalisation in the field of the environment	Milestone	Increased capacity to supervise, control and monitor forests through an integrated IT system	The system to combat illegal logging is established and operational				Q4	2024	The system shall be integrated with SUMAL 2.0 (the Romanian Wood Traceability System currently under development) and shall monitor legal obligations related to wood harvesting, timely forest regeneration, forest health, forest habitat conservation status, climate change impacts and adaptation to climate change of different forest ecosystems. Forest cadastre shall be included as well as ownership and administration rights. The system’s data centres shall comply with the “European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency” and integrate the circularity of building designs and construction techniques.
168	Investment 5. Digitalisation in the field of the environment	Target	Digitalised public environmental services		Number	0	32	Q2	2026	At least 32 environment related public services shall be digitalised and conducted online to include: -Transmission of data and information for emission inventories. -Natura 2000 reporting and Nature Conservation services -Management of environmental registers, notification and authorisation procedures and permits aiming to streamline services in waste managements for citizens and businesses.
169	Investment 6. Digitalisation in employment and social protection	Milestone	Entry into operation of REGES online system	REGES online system functional				Q4	2024	The REGES-ONLINE IT system shall be implemented and interoperable ensuring access by public authorities and institutions to register data at Application Programming Interface (API) level. REGES-ONLINE project aims to digitise the Territorial Labour Inspectorates relationship with employers, facilitating the transmission of data about employees and their individual employment contracts.
170	Investment 6. Digitalisation in employment and social protection	Target	Implementation of digital services in the field of employment and social protection		Number	0	3	Q4	2025	Entry into operation of e-government digital services in the field of work and social protection: -Digitization of the services offered by the Public Employment Service (ANOFM) in order to respond efficiently to the new needs of the labour market by optimizing operations for the benefit of citizens and training digital skills for managing specific activities (such as online submission of documents for registration of beneficiaries and award of benefits, possibility to register and attend online trainings and the assessment of professional competences, online advisory sessions) and upgrade of the IT infrastructure. -digitalisation of control activity in the field of labour relations and occupational safety and health. -digitalisation of social assistance benefits managed by the National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection - ANPIS (including functional IT Systems that for serving Minimum Inclusion Income beneficiaries). Operationalisation of the digital platform for the implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income –VMI- shall allow, inter alia; ocarrying out all the operations related to the implementation of the MII, with modules allowing the possibility of a case by case management approach, including activation measures, in an intuitive/user friendly manner ointeroperability with other relevant data bases, e.g. of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education, Public Employment Service.
171	Investment 6. Digitalisation in employment and social protection	Target	Number of employees participating in trainings on digital skills		Number	0	4 777	Q2	2026	Number of employees participating in trainings on digital skills: -National Employment Agency: 1 200 employees -National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection: 1 595 employees. -Labour Inspection and territorial labour inspectorates: 1 982 employees
172	Investment 7. Implementation of eForms e-forms in public procurement	Milestone	Implementation of electronic national forms in public procurement procedures in line with EU legislation	Electronic standard forms for procurement procedures operational				Q2	2023	The investment shall ensure the implementation of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780 (eForms) in the Romanian Public Procurement service SEAP. The implementation of eForms is not expected to affect the end user, since the changes shall be done in the back-end. The investment aims to ensure data extraction and encapsulation specifically to the new technological requirements at the level of the directive.
173	Investment 8. Qualified electronic identity card and digital signature	Target	Citizens for whom an e-ID card is issued		Number	0	4 500 000	Q4	2024	The identity card shall comply with the European Commission’s requirements on document security, in line with the objectives set out in Regulation (EU) 1157/2019. The electronic identity card shall store two digital certificates: -a mandatory one for advanced electronic signature, registered on all electronic identity cards, valid in Romania. -an optional certificate for qualified electronic signature issued by qualified certification service providers (domestic/non-national), valid also for services of third parties, valid in Romania and in the EU.
174	Investment 8. Qualified electronic identity card and digital signature	Target	Citizens for whom an e-ID card is issued		Number	4 500 000	8 500 000	Q2	2026	Citizens who shall hold an electronic identity card, in line with the description of target 173.
175	Investment 9. Digitisation of the non-governmental organisations sector	Target	Completed projects for NGOs digitalisation		Number	0	200	Q4	2024	Successfully completed projects in the field of digitalisation and digital transformation of NGOs. The selected projects shall support NGOs to digitise their activities by investing in digital infrastructure, increasing the digital competence of staff and volunteers in delivering remote services to beneficiaries, developing platforms and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions. The selection process shall be based on the following criteria: the project relevance for the digital transformation and coherence; methodology and feasibility of the project; sustainability; proposed budget: the foreseen costs are economic, justified and correlated with the activities proposed for digitalisation. Applicant and the proposed project team have the experience, expertise, motivation and capacity for implementing the project. The support shall be up to EUR 70 000 per project for a period of implementation of maximum 30 months.
176	Investment 9. Digitisation of the non-governmental organisations	Milestone	Resource Centre for the Digital Transformation of the NGOs	Resource Centre is established and operational				Q2	2025	The Resource Centre for NGO digitalisation shall provide: -development of IT services and open-source software solutions and technical assistance in the implementation of digital transformation strategies -centralising existing digital resources in an open digital bookshop -enabling easier access assistance, e-learning and training -communities of practice customised support in digital transformation processes.
177	Investment 10. Digital transformation in civil service management	Milestone	Interactive and collaborative platforms for standardised human resources management in central public administration are established and operationalised	Operationalised platforms				Q4	2025	The collaborative platforms shall cover all processes from on-boarding-recruitment to evaluation, promotion, exit from the public system, based on the model of competency frameworks and standardised job descriptions.
178	Investment 11. Implementation of a scheme to support the use of communication services through different types of instruments for beneficiaries, with a focus on white areas	Target	Villages in white areas connected to very high speed internet		Number	0	945	Q4	2025	945 villages in white areas shall be connected to very high-speed internet access services at a fixed location where the market cannot deliver services. The villages shall be prioritised as follows: -absolute priority for the rural or remote municipalities not served with fixed networks. - underlying priority shall be given to rural and remote localities underserved with fixed networks. The minimum speed shall be at least 100 Mbps upgradeable and the networks shall be FTTB/H and/or 5G.
179	Investment 12. Ensuring cybersecurity protection for both public and private ITC infrastructures with critical value for national security, using smart technologies	Target	Entities with secured IT&C infrastructures		Number	0	101	Q3	2025	Securing the infrastructure of 101 public and private entities, which have IT&C infrastructures with critical value for national security: entities in the governmental field, in the energy field (such as gas or electricity suppliers / distributors), water supply and sewerage, essential services, health and transport (such as airports, ports). Among these, 59 entities are included in the national cyber security system, with the purpose of increasing the level of security by adding new technologies and solutions and 42 are beneficiaries to be identified according with the criteria below. Furthermore, 9 entities out of the 101 which have OT infrastructures, shall benefit from cyber security solutions for industrial control (ICS). The infrastructures shall be selected by: -taking into account the probability of being targeted by APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) cyberattacks, -the number of users and the impact that such an attack would have on the infrastructure and implicitly on the economic and social environment. For each new entity, a site-survey shall be carried out, which shall provide an exhaustive look at the cyber security needs of IT and / or OT networks. -the complexity of the OT networks held, -degree of vulnerability to cyber-attacks (e.g. remote control of industrial systems/subsystems), -number of beneficiaries of services provided by those entities. At least the following elements shall be operationalised for the 101 entities: -an Advanced Vulnerability Detection System in Information Systems and Communication Equipment (software and hardware solutions); -an integrated system to identify TTPs associated with cyber-attacks on network and information systems (software solutions and hardware); -a Complex Security Platform for Automatic Analysis and Processing of Cyber Incidents (Software and Hardware Solutions).
180	Investment 12. Ensuring cybersecurity protection for both public and private ITC infrastructures with critical value for national security, using smart technologies	Milestone	Cyberint national centres strengthened	Additional capacities				Q4	2025	The Cyberint national centre structure shall develop the capacity for integrated cybersecurity protection of ICT IT and OT infrastructures Furthermore, the centre shall benefit from: -Development of a technical infrastructure to identify, monitor, manage and respond to cybersecurity incidents aimed at protecting ICT infrastructures of critical value for national security that do not/no longer benefit from the protection offered by the National System for Protection of ICT Infrastructures of National Interest against threats from cyberspace, with a complementary role. -Establishment of a national cybersecurity risk assessment and management platform of new technologies. -The implementation of an infrastructure for the security of radio communications, which shall increase the level of protection and the availability of communication services to public authorities providing digital services to citizens. -a platform for security and channelling of data for transfer between networks of different confidence levels; -Increase the investigative capacity of the NCC (software and hardware solutions). In addition, a national programme to prepare economic operators and competent authorities for cyber and hybrid crisis situations by organising exercises shall be operationalised and crisis management plans developed.
181	Investment 13. Development of security systems for the protection of government spectrum	Target	Reception sites operationalised at national level		Number	0	65	Q1	2026	Reception sites operationalised at national level: STS (The Special Telecommunications Service) shall develop a new network of sensors distributed at the national level, placed on dedicated reception sites to detect and alert automatically in case of disturbances in the radio governmental spectrum. The availability of the governmental spectrum shall be ensured and the continuity of the radio governmental services shall be provided to citizens and public entities, based on G2G/G2B/G2C model.
182	Investment 14. Increase of the resilience and cybersecurity of Internet Service Provider infrastructure services provided to public authorities in Romania	Target	Hubs that shall allow access to Internet Service Provider (ISP) services for central and local public-interest institutions and entities		Number	0	41	Q4	2024	Every one of the 41 counties in Romania shall be assigned one hub. Number of high-capacity secure hubs connected to a national Internet distribution network, with multiple Tier I suppliers and associated Security mechanisms, which ensure the access of central and local public authorities to Internet and Internet-associated services. Security services provided: -Anti-dos (denial-of-service) protection at multiples of 10Gbps -Associated Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) services (security audiences, monitoring of security events throughout the network, response to security incidents) -Associated Security Operations Centres services (notification and escalation mechanisms for beneficiaries) -Reputation and filtering mechanisms for malicious traffic based on reputation and malicious residence at the level of DNS services provided to beneficiaries -Sandbox analysis for the provided services.
183	Investment 15. Creation of new cybersecurity skills for the society and the economy	Target	Trainers participating in cyber security training		Number	0	5 000	Q2	2026	Completed training of cyber security trainers, applicable in the priority areas of the economy and society and specific to graduates and students (tools made available free of charge to firms and public administration for cyber courses, more rigorous control of data protection and the security of the use of new technologies and in the environment).
184	Investment 15. Creation of new cybersecurity skills for the society and the economy	Target	Entities receiving the Government toolkit and services to increase the level of cyber security maturity		Number	0	1 000	Q2	2026	This investment has the following objectives: -Developing a National programme for the analysis, review and documentation of cyber skills needs and their consequences on the priority areas of the economy and society. -Evaluation, documentation and monitoring the level of maturity in cybersecurity (operational, technology, skills) for 1 000 key economic and public administration actors (including companies, SMEs, schools, hospitals, central and local government bodies). Creating and delivering a "government toolkit and services" to increase the level of cyber security maturity of the 1 000 key players identified. The key players shall be selected based on the following two criteria: -actors selected to be representative for the domains specified by the NIS Directive and the transposition of the NIS Directive in the Romanian law (i.e. Law 362/2018) -actors selected based on a cybersecurity maturity assessment already performed by the Romanian national competent authority in cybersecurity (i.e. CERT-RO) based on a survey that shall include a maturity self-assessment.
185	Investment 16. Advanced digital skills training programme for civil servants	Target	Digitally trained civil servants		Number	0	32 500	Q2	2026	30 000 public officials trained to acquire advanced digital skills (e.g. database administrator (SQL, MySQL); system manager; business analysts; data analyst; programmers on various platforms) and 2500 senior civil servants with leadership training and talent management
186	Investment 17. Funding schemes for libraries to become digital skills hubs	Target	Libraries converted in digital hubs		Number	0	1 135	Q4	2025	At least 1 135 libraries shall be digitalised, as follows: -105 libraries including 5 central county library offices and 100 rural or municipal libraries shall be renovated and equipped with computers and technical equipment. The renovation shall be done in compliance with the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). -1 030 libraries shall benefit from new or upgraded IT equipment.
187	Investment 17. Funding schemes for libraries to become digital skills hubs	Target	Citizens who have received training for digital competences development		Number	0	100 000	Q2	2026	Citizens from disadvantaged communities who have received training for developing basic digital skills in libraries converted to digital hubs. The basic digital skills shall include digital literacy, communication, media literacy, digital content creator, digital security, digital entrepreneurial education.

G.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Investment 18. Digital transformation and Robotic Process Automation in public administration

The objective of this investment is to support the digital transformation, increase productivity and resilience, reduce errors and time to process (citizens) requests the public administration by adopting Robotic Process Automation solutions (automation of laborious, repetitive and rules-based tasks).

The investment consists in the deployment of advanced technologies, redefining business process reengineering and improving the decision-making processes for the public sector. At first, a consultant shall analyse the existing workflows in the public institutions and to propose suitable RPA technology solutions. The next step shall be the launch of the call for the institutions wishing to benefit from RPA solutions.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 19. Schemes to upskill/reskill employees in firms

The objective of this investment is to support the digital transformation of small and medium sized enterprises by increasing the digital skills of their employees.

The investment shall be implemented in several phases. At first, a curriculum for upskilling workforce shall be developed. The focus shall be on emerging technologies (such as internet of things, big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, blockchain). In the second phase, a consultant shall support the administration in setting out the structure of the training and then the classes shall take place for the employees of the SMEs that have applied to be part of the programme.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

G.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
188	Investment 18. Digital transformation and Robotic Process Automation in public administration	Target	Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and promotion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) implemented in public administration		Number	0	18	Q4	2025	This investment shall implement solutions to support Robotic Process Automation and artificial intelligence for 18 public institutions of the central administration.
189	Investment 19. Schemes to upskill/reskill employees in firms	Milestone	Launch of the call for ‘Grant Support for Digital Skills’	Publication of the call				Q1	2022	Call for grants for supporting SMEs in training for digital skills such as digital tools and equipment, strengthening digital skills, including skills related to cloud technologies, and technologies specific to Industry 4.0.
190	Investment 19. Schemes to upskill/reskill employees in firms	Target	SMEs financed for training their staff in digital skills		Number	0	2 000	Q4	2025	Number of SMEs financed to support their employees towards participating in training for digital skills in line with milestone 189.

H.COMPONENT 8: Tax and Pensions reforms

This component includes a set of reforms and investments to address the key challenges in the tax administration, tax system, government budgetary framework, pension system and government support to businesses:

I.Reform of the tax administration and review of the tax framework to strengthen the tax system and to increase the revenue collected by the tax administration by at least 3pps of GDP (2,5pps from the tax administration reform and 0,5pps from the tax framework review) and to reduce the VAT gap by at least 5pps, both as compared to 2019.

II.Reform of the public pension system through a new legislative framework to ensure fiscal sustainability in an environment of ageing population, to correct inequities, to ensure the sustainability and predictability of the system and respect the contributory principle in relation to the beneficiaries of pension entitlements. It also aims at the modernisation of the pension system through digital applications and services. The public pension reform aims at addressing relevant country-specific recommendations (country specific recommendation 2.2 and 2.3, 2019), and in particular ensuring fiscal sustainability, equalisation of retirement age and financial stability of pension pillar II.

III.The enhancement of the efficiency of public spending, by increasing the transparency of the budget process, improving the monitoring and reporting system of the budgetary programmes, prioritising large investment projects, carrying out spending reviews in all public sectors, strengthening the role of the fiscal council. The digitalisation of the budgetary procedures is expected to support these goals.

IV.Enhancing institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditure through the use of complex economic modelling tools. The main aim of the reform is to develop the capacity to estimate the impact of structural reforms of the pension system in the medium to long term, by significantly improving the accuracy of the projections and thereby assessing the implication for the sustainability of the pension system.

V.Increasing competitiveness, innovation capacity, productivity and internationalisation of business (especially SMEs) by providing alternative sources of funding through the establishment and operationalisation of a National Development Bank.

H.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation

This reform addresses the urgent need for modernisation and digitalisation of ANAF so as to make the tax collection more efficient with the objective to increase the revenue-to-GDP ratio (by 2,5 percentage points by Q4 2025 as compared to 2019) and to decrease the VAT gap (by 5 percentage points by Q2 2026 as compared to 2019). The reform aims at creating the procedural and supporting framework for the implementation and use of integrated risk management at tax administration level by all functions of the administration to set up a system to identify, plan, assess and adapt activities in the tax administration process according to identified (continuously updated) tax risks.

Specifically, the reform comprises the following elements:

-entry into force of the legal framework for the compulsory enrolment of corporate taxpayers in SPV (Virtual Private Space). This act shall amend the Fiscal Procedure Code and shall introduce the obligation for legal persons to enrol in the SPV.

-entry into force of the legal framework defining the risk criteria for the classification of taxpayers through an Order of the ANAF President. This is the first step towards fully operationalising and developing an integrated tax risk management system, including through the operationalisation of the centralised risk analysis and of a centralised electronic risk register. The definition of risk criteria shall be done according to the main categories of risks of tax non-compliance, i.e.: risks related to tax registration, submission of declarations, level of declaration, and payment and take into account international standards. The new risk criteria shall feed into a system of risk-based tax administration, in which tax administration measures and controls shall be adapted to the tax risk of each class of taxpayers.

-entry into force of the amended legal framework in the field of activity of tax inspection bodies, aiming at strengthening the capacity and effectiveness of tax control structures to prevent national and cross-border tax fraud and tax evasion by early and targeted identification of major tax risks. Part of the changes in the legal framework were implemented in 2020. This establishes the powers of the tax authorities (tax inspection bodies, anti-fraud control bodies, and bodies responsible for verifying the personal tax situation) to carry out documentary checks. ANAF is going to carry out analysis of the institutional and legal framework of the activities of the control structures. Taking into account the conclusions and the results of this analysis, the revision of the legal framework of the tax inspection bodies shall be finalised. This reform shall also strengthen the cooperation with labour inspectorates, as well as with other institutions in the field of social and labour protection, to prevent and limit the phenomenon of grey/black work tax evasion.

This reform shall also lead to having at least 600 000 cash registers connected to ANAF system, an increase in the share of desk audits as compared to the onsite ones, and to an increased number of tax inspections.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025 and is underpinned by three investments.

Reform 2. Modernisation of the customs system and implementation of electronic customs

The reform shall improve the functioning of the Customs Administration through promoting amendments to the existing legal framework, changing competences and internal procedures and by investing in equipment necessary for the control activity on the national territory and at the external border of the EU.

The objective of this reform is to improve the administrative and operational capacity of the Customs administration and to steer the customs clearance activity towards a fully electronic environment. The exchange of information between economic operators and customs authorities, as well as between customs authorities in the Member States, shall be carried out exclusively through electronic data processing and dissemination techniques.

In particular, the following actions shall be carried out:

-operationalisation of the customs administration,

-development of customs IT systems in line with the requirements of the Union Customs Code;

-focusing customs clearance on the electronic environment and reducing bureaucratic barriers;

-simplification of customs formalities.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023 and is underpinned by one investment.

Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism

This reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of the amended regulatory framework which shall:

-ensure multi-annual budgetary planning,

-make the prioritisation of public investment more efficient,

-introduce systematic spending reviews aligned with the budgetary cycle and with a clear implementation plan of the findings in the subsequent budgets, and subject to independent ex-post evaluations.

One objective of this reform is to improve the budgetary programming mechanism and to modernise the IT system for the development and management of the national budget, by making extensive use of data and information that best reflect budgetary expenditure, at policy and programme level (analysis of budgetary procedures, streamlining of time to generate reports and the format in which reports are generated), with an effect on:

-increasing transparency in the budget process by publishing analyses and reports that simplify the spending process for specific programmes;

-improving the system for monitoring and reporting budgetary programmes.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 March 2025 and is underpinned by one investment.

Reform 4. Review of the tax framework

A review of the tax system should allow Romania to improve competitiveness, while supporting fiscal sustainability and environmental goals. It should also bring a fairer, more efficient, simpler and more transparent tax system capable of better supporting the economy and facilitating taxpayers’ compliance.

The comprehensive review of the tax system in the plan shall identify distortions and areas where relevant tax legislation should be adjusted, in particular for corporate income tax, income tax and social security contributions as well as property taxation, so as to inform decisions for a gradual withdrawal of excessive tax incentives. The review of the tax framework shall also aim at expanding green taxation, including as flanking measure for the sustainable transport and energy components.

In carrying out this reform, Romanian tax legislation shall be subject to a thorough analysis, with support of technical assistance provided by an independent institution, in particular in the areas of taxes and social contributions due on income earned by natural persons, corporate tax (including special schemes which may benefit from the exceptions), property taxes (which are local taxes) and green taxes. This systematic analysis shall be followed by the implementation of the recommendations stemming from it to ensure that the tax system better promote sustainable economic growth.

Specifically regarding property taxes, the reform shall address the potential arbitrage between the two tax systems applicable respectively to natural and legal persons earning income from immovable property, and to automatically determine the taxable value of properties subject to local tax, discontinuing the practice of using a taxable base which is not linked to the market value.

The specific objectives of this reform are to:

-improve the structure of tax revenues;

-increase the tax revenue to GDP ratio by 0,5 percentage points by 2025 as compared to 2019;

-eliminate distortions and loopholes in the tax system that allow taxpayers to minimise taxes (undermining the fairness of the system), in particular income tax and social contributions;

-simplify tax rules to facilitate compliance and administration, and elimination of preferential exemptions and treatments;

-achieve a more efficient tax system and a fairer distribution of the tax burden;

-amend property taxation, including in particular by encouraging the free imposition of allowances by local authorities within centrally defined ranges and estimating the tax base as close as possible to the market value of the property.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 March 2025 and is underpinned by one investment.

Reform 5. Establishment and operationalisation of the National Development Bank

The objective of the reform is to operationalise the National Development Bank (BND) in order to directly address financial market failures, by providing financing to projects of eligible beneficiaries with a high risk profile but with high potential to create added value and jobs and for which the private sector has little appetite to secure financing. The reform follows on a project financed under the Structural Reform Support Programme.

The National Development Bank shall be established as a 100% state-owned credit institution operating under the supervision of the National Bank of Romania and in accordance with applicable local and EU legislation. The National Development Bank shall have a share capital of RON 3 billion (ca. EUR 600 million).

The operationalisation of the BND shall also include the acquisition of an IT system, purchases of software licences and hardware as well as IT services.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the investment and lending strategy of the National Development Bank shall:

-require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

-exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility by way of an exclusion list: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use; 14 (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks; 15 (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 16 and mechanical biological treatment plants 17 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

-require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation by the National Development Bank for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing; and

-require beneficiaries of equity support and general purpose corporate finance that derive more than 50% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities and/or assets in the exclusion list to adopt and publish green transition plans.

This reform is underpinned by an investment and its implementation shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system

The reform involves the adoption of a new law on the public pension system, with the input of technical assistance, which is going to replace the Law 127/2019. One aim of the new legislation shall be to maintain total gross public pension expenditure (including all existing public pension schemes) stable in the long term (2022-2070) at 9,4% of GDP, including a brake mechanism in case the expenditure cap is exceeded.

The new legislation shall:

-introduce a new calculation formula for new pensions and pensions in payment. The parameters of the formula shall be carefully chosen in line with the target for pension expenditure as percentage of GDP. Moreover, they shall not allow for ad hoc increases on pension levels;

-introduce a new pension indexation rule in line with the pension expenditure as percentage of GDP target and mechanisms against ad hoc indexation;

-significantly reduce possibilities for early retirement, introduce incentives to expand the working life and to voluntary increase standard retirement age up to 70 years in line with the increases of life expectancy, and equalize the statutory retirement age for men and women at 65 years by 2035;

-introduce incentives for postponing retirement;

-revise special pensions to bring them in line with the contributory principle;

-strengthen the contributory principle of the system;

-increase the adequacy of minimum and lower pensions, in particular for those below the poverty threshold;

-ensure financial viability of the Pillar II of the pension system by increasing contributions to this pension pillar.

The government shall seek for technical assistance to prepare the draft law, which shall also be subject to consultation with social partners. As part of the preparation of the law, there shall be an ex-ante assessment of the impact of the new pension system in particular on fiscal sustainability, which shall feed in the reform process. Amendments to the draft law, which increase the cost of the reform and result to deviation from the fiscal target shall be accompanied by compensating measures to maintain the expenditure to GDP ratio stable. The recalculation of pensions shall be in line with the new legal framework and shall not increase total gross public pension expenditure beyond the benchmark of 9,4% of GDP.

An analysis of special pensions shall also be carried out with a view to identifying concrete solutions aimed at streamlining special pensions, and at correcting the inequities between beneficiaries of these pension categories and beneficiaries of the public pension system from the point of view of the contributory aspect, also taking into account the case-law of the Constitutional Court.

Technical assistance is envisaged (through a public tender) to produce ex-ante analysis of the pension reform, to elaborate the legislation of the reform, and to produce an ex-post analysis and impact assessment.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 March 2023.

Investment 1. Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services

The objectives of this investment are:

-reducing face-to-face interaction with taxpayers due to the expansion of digital services and the provision of services to taxpayers at the premises of the tax units as a matter of priority in the self-service system; ensuring the digital inclusion of taxpayers;

-the development of current remote (electronic or telephone) services through new functionalities and/or the creation of new services;

-simplification of the forms, their electronic transposition and the introduction of pre-filled forms/abolition of reporting obligations, where possible;

-improving communication with taxpayers and introducing an advisory mechanism on the services offered to taxpayers, which shall allow for the involvement of certain categories of taxpayers from the moment of the creation of the new services, so that the needs, expectations, possibilities and skills of taxpayers are known from the conception and design phase.

The investment shall consist of the following actions:

-centralisation of the system managing the corporate taxpayers

-redesign and optimisation of the information system — VIES_RO (Value Added Tax Information Exchange System);

-implementation of the One Stop Shop (OSS_RO) IT system in accordance with intra-Community, national and specific customs requirements;

-the development of call centres;

-the development of current remote (electronic or telephone) services through new functionalities and/or the creation of new services;

-implementation of facilities for interaction with taxpayers at the premises of the tax units;

-implementation of a suite of solutions for knowledge of taxpayers/clients;

-set up of an online auction platform for valuing real estate and mobile assets of significant value.

The contracting of technical assistance services is envisaged for the preparation and completion of the procurement documentation to be carried out within the framework of the projects and for their implementation.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management

The objectives of this investment are:

-fully operationalising and developing the integrated tax risk management system, including through the operationalisation of the centralised risk analysis and register;

-identifying and reducing tax non-compliance and tax gaps through the smart use of data and information to identify areas of high fiscal risk (including in the area of undeclared/under-declared work);

-introducing voluntary compliance programmes;

-adopting a risk-based approach, including the treatment of tax optimisation schemes, in the administration of large taxpayers;

-strengthening the institutional capacity of tax control structures to prevent national and cross-border tax fraud and tax evasion by early and targeted identification of major tax risks;

-re-organising human resources in the context of the progressive digitalisation of business processes.

The investment is expected to have an impact on increasing the level of tax compliance, ensuring a competitive market environment by reducing tax avoidance and evasion and on the achievement of the planned budget revenue by increasing the efficiency of the collection.

The investment consists in the following actions:

-deployment of a platform for the exploitation of data and information;

-implementation of the e-invoicing system;

-implementation of the electronic fiscal marking system;

-improvement and expansion of the platform used for international information exchange;

-centralisation of the State Treasury Information System (TREZOR).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 3. Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance / National Agency for Fiscal Administration

The objectives of this investment are:

-implementation of a financial hub to collect, manage and make available to all stakeholders reliable, validated and current information of a financial nature or in relation to public money;

-ensuring the interoperability of IT systems both at the Ministry of Finance (MF) and National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) level and with those of other institutions;

-application standardisation and uniform data management;

-cybersecurity management and data resilience, including sharing data in real time in a secure manner and with accurate/up-to-date data;

-modernisation and adaptation of the National Centre for Financial Information (NCFI) to new requirements, internal digital transformation, including dematerialisation of internal workflows at MF/ANAF level, ensuring flexibility in hours and jobs, increasing skills levels, including digital skills of employees;

-modernisation of the whole Ministry of Finance/ANAF IT system through a technological upgrade, which shall be implemented by shifting hardware and software infrastructure to new technologies, increasing the number of IT equipment used in the administration, linked to automated processes, and developing the necessary supporting infrastructure to support continuous technological development at the level of the Ministry of Finance data centres.

The investment consists in the following actions:

-upgrading hardware software and communication infrastructure of the IT system;

-reinforcing cybersecurity of the Ministry of Finance IT system;

-implementation/upgrading of the underlying physical infrastructure (electro-power, air-conditioning, alarm and fire extinguishing, physical security, administration and monitoring) in the main existing data centre

-internal digital transformation, including modernisation of the National Centre for Financial Information (NCFI), amongst which the digitalisation of the monitoring of public-private partnership/concession projects and of the management of related tax risks and the State’s public and private heritage information system — Patrim.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 4. Implementation of electronic customs

To modernise the customs system and implement electronic customs, the government shall invest:

-on the operationalisation of the Customs Authority.

-to equip border customs offices with scanners.

-on software hardware infrastructure to increase processing and storage capacity for applications established by DG TAXUD.

-on the upgrade and licensing for virtualised infrastructure and implementation of a virtualisation platform with administration and automation included.

-on the Security Solution for the IT infrastructure of the Integrated Customs Information System, including support services, licences and subscriptions

-on licences for databases necessary for the operation of the components of the Integrated Customs Information System

-on solutions for the centralised management of users, workstations and update services for the operating systems for the Integrated Customs Information System

-on the implementation of the IT system on the customs declaration with reduced dataset for low-value consignments, following the entry into force on 1 July 2021 of the new legislative provisions implementing the “VAT e-commerce package”, with the aim of facilitating cross-border trade and combating VAT fraud.

-on the ICS2 system — Phases 1, 2 and 3

-on the implementation of NCTS_RO Phase 5 and AES_RO

-on the alignment of the EMCS_RO system to EMCS Phase 4

-on the Modernisation of the National Import System in the framework of the Union Customs Code

-on the EU Single Window for Customs — CERTEX

-on the Uniform User Management and Digital Signature UUM & DS

-on the system for monitoring customs supervision and control

-on the Application for Authorisation and Management of Activities in the Free Zone

-on the Application for the Management of National Decisions (Authorisations)

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 5. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism

The objective of this investment is to evaluate, update and modernise the IT system (BUGET_NG) for the development and management of the national budget, by making extensive use of data and information that best reflect budgetary expenditure. The investment shall reduce the time to generate reports and shall optimise the format in which reports are generated. This shall also increase transparency in the budget process by publishing analyses and reports that simplify the spending process for specific programmes. The investment shall also improve the system for monitoring and reporting budgetary programmes.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 6. Economic modelling instrument (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit) to improve institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditures

The objective of this investment is to develop the capacity to estimate the impact of structural reforms of the pension system in the medium to long term, by significantly improving the projections made and analysing the sustainability of the pension system. In particular, this investment aims to optimise the functioning of the model, the development and enhancement of the capacity to use it and to analyse results achieved and to prepare information provided to the European Commission. The implementation of this measure requires the Ministry of Finance to expand its team using the model from 1 to 8 experts (already existing staff) and technical assistance for updating/developing the model, train the staff on the use of the tool and on improving the transmission of information to the European Commission and to Eurostat.

The investment shall include technical assistance from the World Bank to:

-update/develop the Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model according to the characteristics of the Romanian pension system.

-customize the model so as to generate results compatible with the Aging Report and the Accrued-to-Date Liability (ADL) calculation regularly requested by the European Commission.

-Receive training sessions / workshops

-Realise/interpret the ex-ante impact of the pension system reforms

-Produce analytical reports, including proposals to improve the sustainability of the pension system.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 7. Technical support for the revision of the taxation framework

The revision of the property tax principles has, amongst its objectives, the automatic valuation of properties subject to local tax for taxation purposes. This measure shall be implemented with the support of a consultancy service (technical assistance needed for the elaboration of the terms of reference of the consultancy who shall develop the IT tool) by creating an IT system to automate the valuation of immovable property for the purpose of determining the tax base using information available in the systems of other institutions (e.g. the Land and Land Registry Agency, local authorities) as well as public information (e.g. property announcements, catalogues used by valuation professionals, statistical data).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 8. Operationalisation of the National Development Bank

The achievement of the objectives of the related reform requires investments in purchase of software (licences) and hardware (laptops), IT services for staff initially estimated at around 165 people, training of the staff of the National Development Bank to carry out the operations and of the Ministry of Finance staff involved in the assessment of the activity and performance of the bank.

The training of National Development Bank staff shall aim at enhancing the knowledge, professional skills and building technical competencies of personnel for the implementation of 3 new financial products from the following categories: debt, guarantee and equity. The consultant shall propose the structure/design of products, draft agreements/ contracts with beneficiaries, identify target beneficiaries, distribution channels, procedure, policies, communication plan and guidelines for new products. The ministry staff shall be trained in order to develop the required skills to analyse, monitor and assess the performance of the development bank.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024

Investment 9. Supporting the process of assessing pension files

The objective of this investment is to support the digitisation of the around 5 million pension files currently in different archives and formats in a single database. The digital files shall be used to assess the existing pension files and to consider the recalculation of some pensions based on the new legislation. The new database shall also be used for the provision of digital services to citizens, businesses and state institutions and for the assessment of relevant policies.

The investment shall be supported by the procurement of IT and non-IT equipment and the hiring of temporary personnel for a maximum period of 18 months to work on the data collection and processing.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 10. Operational efficiency and advanced e-services through digitalisation of the pension system

The objective of the investment is to establish and upgrade electronic systems and platforms of the National House for Public Pensions (CNPP), which is the national public pension agency. These systems shall allow the internal digitalisation of the authority and the provision of personalised public services to external actors (citizens, institutions, government) based on digital identity and remote access. The system shall also support government decision making through the implementation of complex systems and solutions for historical data analysis and ensure interoperability and cybersecurity. This investment shall also allow the upgrade of the digital skills of the CNPP staff.

The investment shall be implemented by conducting public procurement procedures for contracting the rewriting and re-licensing services of Horizon, Diafix and Domino systems, in order to support the legislative reforms, the provision of Client hardware infrastructure (PCs, multifunctional network), the Communication and Security Components at Territorial Pension Funds (CTP) and central level, the development of “CNPP Virtual Private Spaces for every citizen” services.

To ensure interoperability, the investment shall include the development of modern and secure mechanisms for the interconnection of IT systems through registry technologies, interoperability hub, service-based architecture for data exchange.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

H.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
191	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Milestone	Entry into force of the legal framework for the compulsory enrolment of legal person taxpayers in SPV (Virtual Private Space)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the compulsory enrolment of legal person taxpayers in SPV				Q1	2022	Entry into force of the legal framework for making registration in the Virtual Private Space (SPV) compulsory for all legal persons taxpayers. This act shall amend the Fiscal Procedure Code and shall introduce the obligation for legal person to enrol in the SPV.
192	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Target	Additional legal person taxpayers enrolled in SPV		Number	509 79	1 009 679	Q4	2022	At least 500 000 legal person taxpayers additionally enrolled in SPV compared to the 509 679 at the beginning of April 2021. With these additional 500 000 taxpayers, the SPV shall cover 90% of the total number of large taxpayers (according to the new definition that shall be available as soon as the modification of the respective legal framework shall be approved), accounting for at least 90% of the large taxpayer tax base. At this stage out of the approximately 1 500 000 legal entities approximately 400 000 are either in insolvency proceedings or inactive. The target of the measure is thus almost all registered legal entities to use the SPV. The monitoring of the number of new taxpayers enrolled in the SPV shall be done through specific reports resulting from the query of databases by National Centre for Financial Information.
193	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Milestone	Entry into force of the applicable legal framework defining the risk criteria for the classification of taxpayers. The legal framework shall be approved through an Order of the ANAF President.	Entry into force of the Order of the ANAF president defining risk criteria				Q4	2022	The definition of risk criteria shall be done according to the main categories of risks of tax non-compliance: risks related to tax registration; submission of declarations; level of declaration; payment. These definitions shall be used in the system of tax-risk administration based on tax risk classes, in which tax administration measures and controls shall be adapted to the tax risk of each class of taxpayers. The risk criteria shall take into account the following international standards: - OECD ISO 31000:2018 - COM - Compliance Risk Management guide for Tax administrations 2010 - FTA Guidance Note for Evaluating the effectiveness of the compliance risk treatment strategies
194	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Milestone	Entry into force of the amended legal framework in the field of activity of tax inspection bodies	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legal framework affecting the scope of activity of the tax inspection bodies				Q4	2022	The new law shall establish/revise the powers of the tax authorities tax inspection bodies, anti-fraud control bodies, and bodies responsible for verifying the personal tax situation), with the aim to strengthen the institutional capacity of tax control structures, to prevent national and cross-border tax fraud and tax evasion by early and targeted identification of major tax risks. ANAF shall review the institutional and legal framework of the activities carried out by the control structures. Taking into account the conclusions and the results of the analysis, the revision of the legal framework of the tax inspection bodies shall be finalised.
195	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Milestone	Operationalization/approval of the Joint Action Plan between the National Agency for Fiscal Administration and Labour Inspection to prevent and limit the phenomenon of grey/black work evasion	Adoption of the Joint Action Plan between the National Agency for Fiscal Administration and Labour Inspection of actions to be taken to prevent and limit the phenomenon of grey/black work evasion				Q1	2022	Subsequent to the cooperation protocol with the Labour Inspection, a joint action plan shall be drawn up to include economic operators with high fiscal risk and also risk from the perspective of using under declared / unreported work. It shall be broken down by types of seasonal activities, where the incidence of the mentioned risks is known to be high. Periodically, the management of the structures involved (Tax Antifraud General Directorate and the Labour Inspection) shall analyse the results obtained as well as the possibilities and perspectives for updating the plan, depending on the results found.
196	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Target	Increase the share of revenues collected by the tax administration by at least 2,5 percentage points of GDP		Percentage points of GDP		2,5	Q4	2025	The share of tax revenues increases by at least 2,5pps of GDP, compared to the level observed in 2019
197	Reform 1. Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	Target	Reduction of the VAT gap by 5 percentage points		Percentage points		5	Q2	2026	The VAT gap is reduced by 5pps, compared to its level in 2019
198	Reform 2. Modernisation of the customs system and implementation of electronic customs		Entry into force of the amendments to the existing legal framework to improve the functioning of the Customs administration	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments to the existing legal framework to improve the functioning of the Customs administration				Q4	2025	The objective of the reform is to improve the administrative and operational capacity of the Customs administration and to steer the customs clearance activity towards a fully electronic environment. The reform shall also operationalise the electronic customs system after the deployment of the relevant IT systems. In particular, the following actions shall be carried out: -development of customs IT systems in line with the requirements of the Union Customs Code; -focusing customs clearance on the electronic environment and reducing bureaucratic barriers; -simplification of customs formalities.
199	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Entry into force of the amended regulatory framework to ensure multi-annual budgetary planning for the significant public investment projects and have an ex-post evaluation of expenditure reviews made by the Fiscal Council	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments to ensure multi-annual budgetary planning for the significant public investment projects				Q4	2022	The new regulatory framework shall amend: - Law No nr.500/2002 on public finances, as amended, to lay down criteria and conditions for the budgetary construction of multiannual significant public investment projects, in particular expenditure on significant investment projects, so as to secure financing until their completion. - Government Emergency Ordinance No nr.88/2013 on the adoption of certain fiscal and budgetary measures to meet commitments agreed with international bodies, and amending and supplementing certain legislative acts, as amended, which shall update the principles underlying the prioritisation of significant, new and on-going public investment projects in terms of financial affordability and sustainability, as well as economic and social justification; the timing of the process of prioritisation of significant public investment shall be updated in order to be linked to the timing of the annual and multi-annual budget preparation of the budget; conditions/sanctions shall be put in place for lead authorising officers who do not respect the timing and rules of the prioritisation of significant investments; - Government Decision No nr.225/2014 approving methodological rules on the prioritisation of public investment projects, as amended, which shall amend the prioritisation criteria applicable to significant new and on-going public investment projects and thereafter, so that the budgeting is oriented towards the completion, as a matter of priority, of major investment projects in advanced phases of implementation.
200	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Entry into force of the government decision for the approval of the methodology for drawing up, monitoring and reporting of the budgetary programmes	Provision in government decision indicating the entry into force of the legislative act for the approval of the methodology for drawing up, monitoring and reporting of the budgetary programmes				Q2	2022	The government decision act shall: - ensure drawing up, monitoring and reporting of budgetary programmes - improve performance-based budgetary planning and increase result-orientation, - clearly define objectives, targets, results of actions, the impact of policies and indicators allowing both rigorous ex-ante debates on the public policies to be financed and a transparent and reasoned assessment of how the budgeted programmes have achieved public policy objectives and targets. This government decision shall be linked to the revision of the budget_NG application.
201	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Completion of the spending review in health and education sectors	Publishing the analysis of spending in the fields of education and health				Q2	2023	The spending review in health and education sectors shall be carried out in three main steps: 1.Memorandum in the Government presenting the spending review on Health and Education 2.Establishment of thematic working groups with representatives of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, National Health Insurances House/Ministry of Education 3.Collection of data, finalisation of analyses and presentation of results.
202	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Adoption of a multi-annual strategy and calendar for a systematic expenditure review across all sectors	Memorandum approved by the Government and published				Q2	2023	Memorandum for approval by the Government shall be drafted by the Ministry of Finance, setting out the areas/programmes/actions which shall be the subject of future expenditure reviews, the timetable for implementation, the responsible institutions and the setting up of working groups for each area under consideration.
203	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	2024 draft budgetary law includes the recommendations of spending reviews (health and education)	The draft budget includes the results of spending analyses in the areas of health and education				Q4	2023	The 2024 draft budget shall reflect the measures and proposals resulting from the spending reviews for health and education.
204	Reform 3. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Entry into force of the law for tasking the Fiscal Council with a regular impact assessment of spending reviews and the preparation of an implementation report	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the mandate of the independent institution				Q2	2024	A law shall provide the mandate to the Fiscal Council to issue an opinion on the outcome of the expenditure analysis starting with the 2024 budget, followed by reporting on a yearly basis. This regular review shall be anchored in the mandate of the fiscal council, to be enacted together with the changes in the fiscal law (milestone 199).
205	Reform 4. Review of the tax framework	Milestone	Analysis of Romania’s tax system with the objective to produce recommendations to ensure that the tax system contributes to promote and preserve sustainable economic growth	Completed analysis, publication of the report with the analysis and the recommendations, endorsed by/ co-authored with the independent institutions providing technical assistance	N/A	N/A		Q4	2022	The Ministry of Finance shall, with support of technical assistance, advisory and consultancy services, carry out the analysis on how to improve the structure of the Romanian tax system/tax legislation to ensure that the tax system contributes to promoting and preserving sustainable economic growth. The focus shall be: - on the gradual phase out of the tax incentives and loopholes in income tax, corporate tax (including special schemes which may benefit from the exceptions), - on social contributions and property tax (i.e. local taxes), and - on shifting taxation towards green taxes, taking into account distributional impacts. The analysis and recommendations shall be published by the Ministry of Finance.
206	Reform 4. Review of the tax framework	Milestone	Entry into force of amendments to the Fiscal Code gradually reducing the scope of the special tax regime for micro-enterprises	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments to the Fiscal Code				Q4	2022	The new law shall amend the Fiscal Code with the aim of gradual reduction of the scope of the special tax regime for micro-enterprises. The reduction of the special provisions shall start in Q1 2023 and be completed by Q4 2024.
207	Reform 4. Review of the tax framework	Milestone	Entry into force of -amendments to the Fiscal Code (Law nr.227/2015), to reduce and/ or eliminate other tax incentives with the objective to simplify the tax system, make it more effective, transparent and fair by 2024 -Legislation to expand the green taxation	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework for reducing and/or eliminating tax incentives and expanding the green taxation				Q1	2023	The new law shall amend the Fiscal Code by implementing the recommendations of the tax system review (see milestone 205) to ensure that the tax system contributes to promote and preserve sustainable economic growth. These changes shall be phased in by January 2024.
208	Reform 4. Review of the tax framework	Milestone	Entry into force of amendments to the Fiscal Code (Law nr.227/2015) gradually reducing tax incentives for personnel employed in the construction sector	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework gradually reducing tax incentives for personnel employed in construction sector				Q1	2025	The new law shall amend the Fiscal Code for the gradual reduction of tax incentives for personnel employed in the construction sector. The gradual reduction of tax incentives for personnel employed in the construction sectors shall start in 2025 and shall be completed by the end of 2028.
209	Reform 5. Establishment and operationalisation of the National Development Bank	Milestone	Operationalisation of the National Development Bank	Provision by the National Bank of Romania of the operating license of the National Development Bank				Q4	2024	The National Development Bank shall be fully operational, with trained staff (covering critical functions in the Front Office, Back Office and supporting functions) able to provide the first financial instruments, in line with best practice in the field. The newly established bank shall bridge the funding gap, ensure improved access to finance for eligible beneficiaries and provide expertise for the development of new products. The investment and lending strategy of the National Development Bank shall ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, an exclusion list, and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation.
210	Reform 5. Establishment and operationalisation of the National Development Bank	Milestone	Completion of the National Development Bank’s Pillar Assessment to implement EU funds	Completion of the National Development Bank’s Pillar Assessment to implement EU funds received by the European Union				Q2	2026	Completion of the pillar assessment by an independent external audit on the basis of the relevant Terms of Reference (Commission Decision C(2019)2882 of 17 April 2019). Such assessment is a step in the process that shall allow the National Development Bank to become an implementing partner for Union funds on the basis of Article 154 of the EU Financial Regulation .
211	Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system	Milestone	Contract technical assistance provided by an entity that shall be selected according to the national public procurement legislation	Contract signed				Q4	2021	Signature of the technical assistance contract with the selected entity to prepare analysis and proposals for a reform of the pensions system - general regime and special schemes – consistent with the principles pledged in the national recovery and resilience plan. The new legislation shall: -introduce a new calculation formula for new pensions and pensions in payment. The parameters of the formula shall be carefully chosen in line with the target for total gross public pension expenditure as percentage of GDP (9,4% of GDP in the long-term, i.e. between 2022-2070). Moreover, they shall not allow for ad hoc increases on pension levels; -introduce a new pension indexation rule in line with the pension expenditure as percentage of GDP target and mechanisms against ad hoc indexation; -significantly reduce possibilities for early retirement, introduce incentives to expand the working life and to voluntary increase standard retirement age up to 70 years in line with the increases of life expectancy, and equalize the statutory retirement age for men and women at 65 years by 2035; -introduce incentives for postponing retirement; -revise special pensions to bring them in line with the contributory principle; -strengthen the contributory principle of the system; -increase the adequacy of minimum and lower pensions, in particular for those below the poverty threshold; -ensure financial viability of the Pillar II of the pension system by increasing contributions to this pension pillar. Technical assistance shall include an impact assessment of the different reform options proposed (long-term projections). The technical assistance provider shall support the drafting of the pension reform.
212	Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system	Milestone	Entry into force of a minister’s order setting up a monitoring committee in charge of reviewing, with the support of the technical assistance provider the pension system and the policy interventions in the pension system	Provision in the Common ministerial order indicating the entry into force of the Common ministerial order				Q4	2021	The monitoring committee shall be set up through a common ministerial order (Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Labour and Social Protection) and shall consist of experts from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, National House of Public Pensions, Ministry of Finance. Also, experts from the Fiscal Council shall be invited to join. It shall work closely with the technical assistance provider.
213	Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendments to the regulatory framework to ensure the sustainability of Pillar 2 pensions	Provision in the regulatory framework indicating the entry into force of the legislation				Q1	2022	The new legislative framework shall: - Ensure the fiscal sustainability of Pillar II through an increase in contributions in line with the provisions of the budgetary fiscal strategy; - Digitalise the functioning of the private pension system - Diversify Pillar II pension investments. Regarding the Pillar II pension investments, the government shall: - explore the possibility of making the regulatory regime applicable to privately managed pension funds’ investments more flexible by reducing quantitative investment restrictions and reducing risk budgetary restrictions applicable to privately managed pension funds; - Preserve the independence of pension managers in determining their investment strategy - Regulate future adjustments to the private pension fund investment regime that contribute to a flexible set-up that encourages pension managers to properly diversify their portfolios in order to achieve fair risk-adjusted investment returns. - Increase companies’ access to the capital market, to facilitate the listing of new issuers and to make greater use of private sources of funding, including pension fund assets. This would lead to a better investment ecosystem for pension managers and increased opportunities for a proper diversification of pension fund portfolios.
214	Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system	Milestone	Entry into force of the new law on the pension system, replacing the provisions of Law No 127/2019	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law on the pension system				Q1	2023	The new pension law shall ensure the fiscal sustainability of the pension system, as well as equity, the respect of the contributory principle, adequacy of low / minimum / social pensions, and replacement of the provisions of Law No 127/2019 (including those relating to the fixed contribution period of 25 years). Possible amendments during the legislative process should respect the target of stable pension expenditure as percentage of GDP, by including offsetting parametric changes when necessary. Drawing on technical assistance (milestone 211), the reform shall contain at least the following elements: -Introduce a new calculation formula for new pensions and pensions in payment. The parameters of the formula shall be carefully chosen in line with the target for total gross public pension expenditure as percentage of GDP (9,4% of GDP). Moreover, they shall not allow for ad hoc increases on pension levels. The detailed formula shall a priori eliminate the correction index, be based on the number of points achieved by each beneficiary in accordance with the contributory principle and apply a pension indexation mechanism that no longer allows for ad-hoc increases. -Introduce a new pension indexation rule in line with the pension expenditure as percentage of GDP target and mechanisms against ad hoc indexation; -Significantly reduce possibilities for early retirement, introduce incentives to expand the working life and to voluntary increase standard retirement age up to 70 years in line with the increases of life expectancy, and equalize the statutory retirement age for men and women at 65 years by 2035; -Introduce incentives for postponing retirement; -Revise special pensions to bring them in line with the contributory principle; -Strengthen the contributory principle of the system; -Increase the adequacy of minimum and lower pensions, in particular for those below the poverty threshold; -Ensure financial viability of the Pillar II of the pension system by increasing contributions to this pension pillar. The package may include separate laws concerning the general regime and special pensions.
215	Reform 6. Reform of the public pension system	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework for reducing expenditure on special pensions	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework for reducing the expenditure on special pensions				Q4	2022	The new legislative framework shall review special pensions and bring them in line with the contributory principle. -No new categories of special pensions shall be created and current categories shall be streamlined. -Current special pensions shall be calculated based on the contributory principle, seniority in the profession, and the readjustment of the percentage related to the obtained income. The minimum contribution period shall be similar to that applied in the public pension fund. -The protection of the decisions of the Constitutional Court shall refer only to the pensions of magistrates and not for other categories and shall refer only to the limits explicit in the arguments of the Court. No special pension shall exceed the income obtained during the contribution period.
216	Investment 1. Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	Milestone	Digital services and critical electronic systems are operational	The digital services and electronic systems are operational				Q4	2023	The following digital services and electronic systems shall be set-up/expanded and operationalised: -Virtual Private Space (SPV) which shall improve the digital interaction between the tax administration and taxpayers (by creating the possibilities to make payments through SPV / ghiseul.ro, creating the possibility to communicate with taxpayers through SPV regarding the video interaction, developing the existing contact form in the SPV, extending the online programming service available in SPV. -Call Centre shall be fully operational to provide electronic and telephone services to taxpayers. It shall offer email, SMS and chat capabilities via the user interface, inbound / outbound voice processing with integrated telephony capabilities via the User Interface; automatic routing of calls according to abilities; work with queues. -One Stop Shop – OSS which shall improve service delivery and reduce transaction costs for taxpayers, reduce the administrative burden for business by simplifying the value added tax (VAT) declaration and payment B2C (business to consumer) procedure, facilitating cross-border trade and combating VAT fraud. It shall facilitate for companies the electronic declaration and payment of VAT related to certain categories of goods and services B2C. -Value Added Tax Information Exchange System – shall be adapted to the latest national and intra-Community legislative changes to reduce the administrative burden on taxpayers.
217	Investment 1. Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	Target	Services to corporate tax payers available online		Percentage (%)	45	60	Q4	2024	60% of all services to corporate tax payers available at the end of 2024 shall be accessible online through National Agency for Fiscal Administration website or through the SPV. As of 2021, only 45% of these services are available online. The number of services offered by ANAF to taxpayers is 65, both electronically and at the tax units’ office.
218	Investment 1. Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	Milestone	Online platform for auction of real estate and mobile property with significant value (according to the asset type) operationalised	Online platform operationalised				Q2	2024	An online platform for organising auctions for selling state-owned assets and those seized in enforcement shall be operationalised. In case the Romanian public authorities decide to sell the real estate assets, mobile property and rare and valuable items such as precious metals, pieces of art, cars, planes, boats in their possession, the assets shall be offered for sale on the new auction platform (using data from the National Centre for Financial Information (NCFI) databases and information provided by National Agency for Fiscal Administration).
219	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Staff training on the risk management system		Number	0	40	Q2	2023	40 staff working in the risk management area of the Ministry of Finance shall be trained in the risk management system.
220	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Number of cash registers connected to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system		Number	0	15 0000	Q4	2021	At least 150 000 cash registers connected to National Agency for Fiscal Administration’s electronic system. The full connection of cash registers shall address, in particular, fraud in the area of trade. This investment shall contribute to reducing the VAT gap.
221	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Number of cash registers connected to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system		Number	150 000	600 000	Q4	2022	At least 600 000 cash registers shall be connected to National Agency for Fiscal Administration’s electronic system. The full connection of cash registers shall address, in particular, fraud in the area of trade. This investment shall contribute to reduce the VAT gap.
222	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Share of the number of desk audits reported on the total audits carried out by the tax administration — 30%		Percentage (%)	0	30	Q4	2022	The share of the documentary audits in total audits carried out shall increase to 30% by Q4 2022 (from today’s zero). This target is part of the reform to shift inspection actions from physical to digital control structures. The following measures shall be implemented: -establishing the powers of the tax authorities to carry out documentary checks by tax inspection bodies, anti-fraud control bodies and bodies responsible for verifying personal tax situations. -the model and content of the forms and documents used in the desk-audit activity have been approved.
223	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Share of the number of desk audits reported on the total audits carried out by the tax administration — 60 %		Percentage (%)	30	60	Q4	2025	The share of the documentary audits in total audits carried out shall increase to 60% by Q4 2025. This target is part of the reform to shift inspection actions from physical to digital control structures. The following measures shall be implemented: -establishing the powers of the tax authorities to carry out documentary checks by tax inspection bodies, anti-fraud control bodies and bodies responsible for verifying personal tax situations. -the model and content of the forms and documents used in the desk-audit activity have been approved.
224	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Target	Increase the number of audits by 10%		Number	25 000	27 500	Q4	2025	Increase the number of fiscal inspections by 10% compared to the actual number of inspections until Q4 2025.
225	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Milestone	Fully operational electronic risk register	Electronic risk register operational and containing risk criteria, indicators and profiles; first report after a dry run or after becoming operational				Q4	2025	Operationalisation of the electronic risk register: -fully operational and developed integrated tax risk management system, which contains the centralised risk analysis; -identifying and reducing tax non-compliance and tax gaps using data and information to identify areas of high tax risk (including in the area of undeclared/under-declared work); -introducing compliance programmes; -using a risk-based approach, including the treatment of tax optimisation schemes, in the administration of large taxpayers; -strengthening the institutional capacity of tax control structures to prevent national and cross-border tax fraud and tax evasion by early and targeted identification of major tax risks; -reallocation of human resources in the context of the progressive digitalisation of business processes.
226	Investment 2. Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	Milestone	Big Data/Analytics platform set-up and operational	Operationalisation of the solution — Big Data platform and issuance of the first report				Q4	2025	Operationalisation of the Big Data platform to analyse large amounts of data accurately and timely, for standardisation, interoperability, security, privacy, as well as expertise and funding for infrastructure development and integration of already available datasets. The platform shall be: Complete — all relevant sources of information (internal and external included) Validated — data integrity: The data is complete and consistent Analysed — data may be “commissioned” and provide information (background); Processes are repetitive. Results — linked data to provide performance information.
227	Investment 3. Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration	Milestone	Modernisation of hardware and software infrastructure and of the support infrastructure for the provision of electronic services to taxpayers	Renewed hardware and software infrastructure and modernised support infrastructure				Q2	2023	Modernisation of hardware and software infrastructure and support infrastructure for the provision of electronic services to taxpayers. The following issues shall be addressed: - maintaining the functioning and upgrading of the hardware software infrastructure of the Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system and the implementation of new technologies; - maintaining the operation and upgrading of the supporting infrastructure of data centres (electricity supply ;air conditioning; alarm and fire-fighting; physical security; administration and monitoring); - improvement of the IT function of Ministry of Finance; - the reception and provision of data in real time; - managing data and ensuring optimal flows; - ensuring the sustainable development of databases to ensure interoperability of IT systems; - management of IT processes to ensure compliance with relevant international standards (for transparency, measurement and traceability); - internal digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration.
228	Investment 3. Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/ National Agency for Fiscal Administration	Milestone	Increased Cyber security of the Ministry of Finance’s and ANAF computer system	Cybersecurity system operationalised				Q2	2023	The security at the level of the Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration information system in relation to the internet network shall be strengthened. In this sense, it is considered the acquisition of web application firewall components, application delivery controller, security operation centre, network detection and response, firewall equipment - OSI LAYER 3 with IPS IDS services included, upgrade of the existing Active Directory infrastructure for centralized management of users, hardware and software for automatic updates for security patches of the applications used. The following issues shall be addressed: - managing cybersecurity and resilience of IT platforms; - data and information privacy and security management;
229	Investment 3. Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration	Target	80% of IT hardware and software infrastructure is not more than 4 years old		Percentage (%)	30,67	80	Q2	2023	Modernisation of hardware and software infrastructure and support infrastructure for the provision of electronic services to taxpayers. The upgrade of infrastructure shall be reflected in the public sector fixed assets inventory where software and hardware are registered as fixed assets as per national legislation.
230	Investment 4. Implementation of electronic customs	Target	Upgraded hardware and software infrastructure		Percentage (%)	0	100	Q4	2022	Upgraded hardware software infrastructure. These projects are concerning IT infrastructure, through hardware-software investments, which provide the necessary support for the overall operation of the customs IT system. Thus, this target is used to determine the degree of infrastructure upgrades (soft and hard) and involves investments in: programmable network solution, VMware software code upgrades and licenses, with support / subscription included, Infrastructure security solution Customs Integrated Information System IT, including support services, licenses and subscriptions, Oracle Database Enterprise Edition Licenses for databases required for the operation of Customs Integrated Information System components, Solution for centralized user management, workstations and update services for systems operating system for the Integrated Customs Information System.
231	Investment 4. Implementation of electronic customs	Milestone	Award of contract for new IT systems for customs	Contract signed				Q4	2023	Contracting the services for developing new IT systems for customs: 1.Implementation of the IT system on the Customs Declaration with reduced data set for low value shipments 2.Alignment to the ICS2(Import Control System) system - Phase 1, respectively the interconnection of the national risk analysis system RMF-(Risk management framework) RO with the trans-European ICS2 system in order to perform a complete safety and security risk analysis for goods transported by air by postal operators and carriers express. 3.Alignment of the EMCS_RO system (Excise Movement Control System) to EMCS Phase 4, respectively the alignment to the current versions, of the EMCS system (Excise Movement Control System 4.Implementation of NCTS_RO (National Common Transit System) phase 5 and AES_RO 5.Modernization of the National Import System within the Union Customs Code, respectively the modernization of the National Import System and implicitly the updates of the related applications. 6. Investments in UUM & DS Uniform User Management and Digital Signature, namely the development and implementation of the Uniform User Management and Digital Signature System (UUM & DS) 7.Alignment to the ICS2 System - phase 2 8.Alignment to the ICS2 System - phase 3 9.Monitoring System of the customs supervision and control activity 10.Application for authorization and management of activities in the Free Zone 11.Application for the management of national decisions (authorizations), 12.EU Single Window for Customs – CERTEX (Certificate Exchange), respectively the extension of the EU CSW-CERTEX functionalities, also with the availability to manage the quantity and format of the portable document (PDF)
232	Investment 4. Implementation of electronic customs	Target	IT systems for customs operationalised		Number	0	12	Q4	2025	The 12 purchased IT systems are operationalised and functional.
233	Investment 4. Implementation of electronic customs	Target	Percentage of customs clearance activity, exchange of information between economic operators and customs authorities, exchange of information between customs authorities in the Member States performed electronically		Percentage (%)	80	100	Q4	2024	The current customs clearance activity, exchange of information between economic operators and customs authorities and exchanges between customs authorities in the Member States performed electronically stands at 80%. This investment shall raise the percentage to 100%. The operationalisation of the Customs Authority and the implementation of a single organisational and functional framework of the customs administration in order to ensure an integrated coordination of all its structures in order to increase efficiency and operational capacity in the fight against customs and tax fraud; Modernisation of the Ministry of Finance-National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system in the area of customs, addressing IT infrastructure issues, as well as those complementary to them, necessary for the proper functioning of the systems, accompanied by simplified customs procedures.
234	Investment 5. Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	Milestone	Update of the IT application BUGET_NG	Budget_NG application updated				Q4	2023	Update and modernisation of the IT system for the development and management of the national budget for the following purposes: - manage data and information that best reflect budgetary expenditure, at policy and programme level (analysis of budgetary procedures, streamlining of time to generate reports and the format in which reports are generated), - Increasing transparency in the budgetary process by publishing analyses and reports to simplify the spending process for specific programmes. - improving the system for monitoring and reporting budgetary programmes.
235	Investment 6. Economic modelling instrument (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit) to improve institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditures	Milestone	Economic modelling tool (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model) operational	Economic modelling tool (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model) operational				Q4	2023	Economic modelling tool (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model) shall be operational to enhance the capacity to estimate the (ex-ante) impact of structural pension reforms in the medium to long term, by significantly improving the projections made and analysing the sustainability of the pension system. Obtaining technical assistance for the development of the Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model and strengthening its usability (including the expansion of the team) shall contribute significantly to improving pension projections and sustainability analyses.
236	Investment 6. Economic modelling instrument (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit) to improve institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditures	Target	Extending the team from 1 to 8 experts and improving the capacity of medium- and long-term structural pension reform by providing 8 people with a training to use the Pension Reform Options Simulations toolkit model	Staff trained		1	8	Q4	2023	Increase relevant expertise on pension reform in the Ministry of Finance by training the responsible staff to use the new toolkit. The target is to bring the team up to 8 experts (already existing staff, with no need to recruit new experts) to deal with pensions’ reforms is included in the national recovery and resilience plan. At this point, the current modelling capacity of the Ministry of Finance is very limited, having only one dedicated expert working with the Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model (the AWG delegate), who has not attended any professional training on this topic. Once being trained, the Ministry of Finance experts shall be fully in charge of this tool to be able to quickly assess reforms’ implications.
237	Investment 7. Technical support for the revision of the taxation framework	Milestone	IT system enabling the implementation of an automatic property valuation model operational	IT system operational				Q4	2025	IT system developed and operational to evaluate properties subject to property taxes. These values shall be used to determine the tax base for property taxation where this approach shall be available (such as sufficient transactions available for the automated valuation model).
238	Investment 8. Operationalisation of the National Development Bank	Milestone	Purchase of software (licences) and hardware (laptops), IT services for staff, training for the staff of the National Development Bank and for the Ministry of Finance staff	Purchase contracts signed				Q4	2024	Contracting the purchase of: -software (licenses) and hardware (laptops), -IT services for staff initially estimated at around 165 people, -training service for the staff of the National Development Bank to carry out the operations and for the Ministry of Finance staff involved in assessing the performance of the bank.
239	Investment 9. Supporting the process of assessing pension files	Milestone	All pension files recalculated	All pension files recalculated				Q4	2023	All pension files recalculated on the basis of the new pension law entered into force on 01/04/2023 (Milestone 214) The government shall send to all citizens by post a decision regarding the result of the recalculation by the date of completion of the target. Temporary staff shall be employed for a period of 18 months in order to support the implementation of this reform. The staff involved in the recalculation/ valuation of pensions shall be remunerated in accordance with the provisions of Law No nr.153/2017 on the remuneration of staff paid from public funds, as amended — Annex VIII — Salaries for staff in territorial units.
240	Investment 10. Operational efficiency and advanced e-services through digitalisation of the pension system	Milestone	IT system in the National Public Pensions Agency operational	Operational IT system				Q4	2024	Implementation of an IT system in the National Public Pensions Agency (CNPP) The new informatics system shall consist of a suite of components that shall operate in an integrated and centralized manner, as follows: -Portal - The communication component with public persons which provides with the current set of electronic services, as well as a new set of functionalities: -Electronic services in the area of pensions and other social insurance rights; -Electronic service for completing the application for treatment tickets and Electronic services on the taxpayer record area -Electronic services in the area ofaccidents at work and occupational diseases -“e-Talon” application -which shall automatically generate the monthly pension coupon in electronic and printed formats for all active retirees

I.COMPONENT 9: Business support, research, development and innovation

This component includes a set of reforms and investments to strengthen the business environment in Romania, including the research, development and innovation sector.

The objective of this component is to support businesses in Romania, especially small and medium-sized enterprises as well as public organisations performing research, development and innovation. The reforms supporting the investments include regulatory changes to reduce the administrative burden for firms by simplifying legislation/start-up/exit procedures as well as obtaining licenses. Reforms also address unclear governance, the fragmentation and effectiveness of the research development and innovations system and promote its cooperation with the private sector. Investments relate to the creation of a digital platform for providing simplified public services for business including for obtaining licences, access to finance to small and medium size enterprises and companies through financial instruments and grants. Complementary investments shall relate to funding research competence centres and research projects lead by internationally reputed researchers.

The reforms and investments shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendation conveyed to Romania in 2019 and 2020, on the need to improve the quality and predictability of decision-making process (country-specific recommendation 5, 2019); and to front-load mature public investment projects that promote the economy’s competitiveness, such as supporting research and development activities and the integration of local providers into EU strategic value chains (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020).

I.1. Description of the reforms and investments for loans

Reform 1. Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business

The objective of this reform is to reduce the administrative burden for businesses environment by simplifying and increasing the transparency of regulatory procedures for firms.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of three different groups of legislative initiatives/amendments: first, entry into force of legislative amendments to streamline, simplify and fully digitise business related regulatory requirements, in particular to set up a company, exit from the market/closure of a business as well as for regulatory requirements for reporting of labour market obligations for companies; second, entry into force of legislative changes related to the SME test (the ex-ante evaluation of the economic, social and environmental impact of legislative proposals on Small and Medium Enterprises); third, entry into force of the law implementing the single industrial licensing regime that shall effectively enforce, inter alia, the tacit approval (silence is consent) for specific types of licences following their registration on the electronic platform, the adoption of the “once-only” principle, enabling firms to be required to supply the same information or documents to public institutions only once, and the adoption of the necessary legislative amendments for the full implementation of an Electronic Point of Single Contact, including a definition of its main features.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025. The legislative amendments to streamline, simplify and fully digitise business related procedures as well as the “Single Industrial Licence” shall enter into force by 30 September 2022 and 31 December 2022, respectively.

Investment 1 – Digital platforms on legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business.

The objective of this investment is to provide full digital access and the possibility to perform operations related to specific regulatory requirements for business.

The investment shall consist in setting-up and make fully operational a public digital platform providing public services for businesses related to setting up/leaving the market for firms, authorization of foreign representations in Romania and obtaining industry-related licenses.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 2 – Financial instruments for the private sector

Sub-investment 2.1: Portfolio Guarantee for Resilience

The objective of this sub-investment is to address financial hurdles faced by Romanian enterprises in accessing finance, namely: increased cost of finance, lack of collateral and impaired credit channels. In particular, the sub-investment shall target the liquidity/solvency challenges of Romanian enterprises, which arise from the significant and temporary reduction of their revenues, due to the COVID-19 crisis. In this context, the instrument shall be designed to improve access to finance and revitalise blocked lending channels during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis by supporting investments or working capital needs of enterprises. The sub-investment shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, to be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU by the European Investment Fund (“EIF”).

To ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government shall require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund. The guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the EIF shall in addition exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 18 and (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks. 19

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024, when the InvestEU Investment Committee approves finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted.

Sub-investment 2.2: Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee

The objective of this sub-investment is to deliver finance and investments to SMEs (up to 249 employees), companies with up to 500 employees, and individuals through working capital, credit lines, investment loans, or leasing, aimed at investments and finance for energy efficiency improvements in enterprises and the residential and buildings sector. The purpose of the instrument shall be to address Romania’s current challenges in supporting investments in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. The sub-investment shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, to be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU by the European Investment Fund (“EIF”). The specific goals and energy efficiency ambitions of the instrument, as well as structure and eligibility criteria shall be fully aligned and correspond to the ones of the InvestEU EU-Compartment instrument, currently under development.

In order to ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government shall require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund. The guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the EIF shall in addition exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 20 and (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks. 21

Sub-investment 2.3 for SMEs and mid-caps: Recovery Venture Capital Fund

The objective of this sub-investment is to provide equity support for SMEs, mid-caps, including start-ups, companies in early and advanced growth stages, and infrastructure projects focused on renewable energy, and energy efficiency. The support shall be delivered through venture capital funds and infrastructure funds, as part of a Risk Capital Fund, managed by the European Investment Fund (“EIF”).

In order to ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the financing agreement between the Romanian Government and the EIF, and the subsequent investment policy of the financial instrument shall

-require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

-exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 22 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 23 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 24 and mechanical biological treatment plants 25 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

-require companies that derived more than 50% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities and/or assets that are covered by the exclusion list to adopt and publish green transition plans; and

-require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the beneficiary by the EIF for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Sub-measure 2.4: Fund of funds for digitalisation, climate action and other areas of interest

The objective of the sub-investment is to provide support to large companies (with more than 500 employees and/or an annual turnover exceeding EUR 50m and an annual balance sheet total exceeding EUR 43m), public entities and Special Purpose Vehicles, through investments contributing to the low-carbon economy, as well as investments in digitalisation and fixed assets through a Fund of Funds. This shall encourage a greater amount of investment contributing to climate and digital objectives by the target companies and encourage the growth and expansion of the companies, in turn creating new employment opportunities and supporting the wider economic recovery. The support shall take the form of a Fund of Funds, the management of which shall be entrusted to the European Investment Bank (“EIB”).

In order to ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the financing agreement between the Romanian Government and the EIB, and the subsequent investment policy of the financial instrument shall

-require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

-exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 26 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 27 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 28 and mechanical biological treatment plants 29 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

-require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the beneficiary by the EIB for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Sub-investment 2.5: Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector

The financial instrument shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The objective of this sub-investment is to deliver finance and investments for energy efficiency and renewable energy in the residential and buildings sector. The sub-investment shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, to be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”).

In order to ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government shall require the application of the Commission’s technical guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund. The guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the EBRD shall in addition exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 30 and (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks. 31

Investment 3. Private sector aid schemes

Sub-investment 1 - Aid scheme for the digitalisation of SMEs

The objective of this sub-investment is to support the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) digitalisation which could then contribute to increased competitiveness, enabling these companies’ innovation, facilitating new working patterns. This sub-investment shall tackle one of the key challenges of the SMEs: the pressure to adapt their business models to the digital realities.

The sub-investment consists of two instruments: i) a grant scheme to support entrepreneurs in development of advanced digital technologies (such as artificial intelligence, data and cloud computing, blockchain, high performance computing and quantum, internet of things, cybersecurity) and ii) a grant scheme of up to EUR 100 000 per enterprise to support SMEs adopting digital technologies (such as purchases of ICT hardware, development and/or adaptation of software applications/licences, including Robotic Process Automation software automation solutions, acquisition of blockchain technologies, procurement of artificial intelligence systems, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, purchase of a presentation website, purchase of cloud and internet of things services, training of staff using IT equipment, advice/analysis to identify technical solutions that SMEs need). All the investments shall comply with the selection criteria of the following intervention fields presented in Annex VII to the Regulation (EU) 2021/241: 021quater (EUR 130 million), 021 quinquies (allocation of EUR 20 million), 010 (allocation of EUR 315 million), 012 (allocation of EUR 35 million). For the implementation, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects shall launch the guidelines for the calls for projects and shall delegate the monitoring of the projects to an administrator on the basis of a delegated act. The Ministry shall ensure that an effective management and control system is implemented at administrator level and shall be able to take corrective action whenever necessary, including by performing sample checks at SME level, while the administrator shall monitor and report regularly on the progress of the project implementation in accordance with all the respective conditions.

In order to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), applicants shall present any potential risks to the environment arising from their activities and their methods for mitigating those risks. Compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be certified by an independent auditor at the end of the investment period.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Sub-investment 2 - De minimis scheme to assist Romanian firms in listing on the stock exchange

The objective of this sub-investment is to support companies in increasing access to financing through specific instruments, namely the issuance of new shares.

The sub-investment shall consist of funding a de minims scheme for companies with registered offices in Romania and willing to conduct a stock issuance, pre-qualified for listing, according to the conditions of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, on a first come, first served basis. Taking into account the current structure of economic operators active in Romania, as well as the most dynamic segments of the economy, companies in the Small and Medium Enterprises category as well as those active in sectors with high growth and substantial financing needs, such as IT and energy, are expected to be the main beneficiaries of this investment.

In order to ensure that the sub-investment complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), companies that derived more than 50% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities and/or assets that are covered by the exclusion list shall be required to adopt and publish green transition plans. The following list of activities and assets shall be excluded: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 32 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 33 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 34 and mechanical biological treatment plants 35 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment 4. Cross-border and multi-country projects — Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips

The objective of this investment is to support the development of microelectronics field in Romania, addressing one of the existent challenges at EU level and supporting the digital transition.

The investment consists in actions to: i) structure and develop skills for the design, manufacture and application of microelectronic components and systems in a coherent national ecosystem; ii) secure intellectual property and accelerating the application of advanced technologies in key areas of the national economy such as the car industry, health or precision farming, space, defence, aero-nautical; iii) coordinate with capabilities and needs at European level including through the participation or association of at least ten members of the national ecosystem in a multi-country project, planned to be implemented mainly as an Important Project of Common European interest (IPCEI). In this context, at least 3 Romanian entities in consortia are expected to respond to calls for projects by the Joint Undertaking of Key Digital Technologies (KDT JU).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Reform 2. Streamline governance of research, development and innovation

The objective of this reform is to clarify and streamline the governance of the research, development and innovation system in Romania.

The reform shall be implemented by means of operationalising the Policy Support Facility Reform Unit within the Ministry of Research and Innovation and Digitalisation, with the mandate to implement and monitor the Policy Support Facility recommendations translated into reforms of national research, development and innovation ecosystem. The unit shall be operational between 2021-2026 and shall work to redesign in a coordinated manner with the relevant public authorities, the architecture and functions of the research, development and innovation system in Romania, to enhance the quality of investments. This reform shall pave the way to the entry into force of a permanent system that ensures the harmonised design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of research, development and innovation policy across ministries and agencies beyond the RRF timeline. The reform shall also establish a single body that ensures inter-ministerial coordination at the Governmental level also based on coordination with private sector organisations.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The Policy Support Facility Reform Unit shall have a clear mandate and be made operational by 31 December 2021.

Reform 3. Reform of research career

The objective of this reform is to increase the attractiveness of the research career and the performance of researchers.

The reform shall be implemented by enacting legislative modifications that detail Key Performance Indicators and measures of conduct in scientific research according to which researchers get access to funding and scholarships. These specifications shall be equally aligned with European best practices, including for promotion in the research career based on merit-based principles, recruitment on transparent, open and competitive procedures, as well as good practices in ethics and integrity in scientific research. The new legislation shall also include a framework for financial and non-financial incentives to encourage the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers by Romanian research institutions.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform 4. Enhanced cooperation between business and research

The objective of the reform is to increase the cooperation between businesses and research, development and innovation public research organisations and to create a favourable environment for public and private investments in the sector.

The reform shall be implemented by enacting legislative amendments to simplify and digitalise the contracting, financing, monitor and evaluation of research projects. They shall moreover ensure open access to deliverables of significant and not sensitive publicly funded projects, as well as their evaluation by internationally recognized researchers before approval by the Public Contracting Authority and throughout the lifespan of projects. The amendments shall moreover ensure the availability of stable and predictable sources of funding for research at the local and national level, as well as their centralisation into a single electronic point of contact. The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation shall implement legislative amendments jointly with relevant public authorities, including with the representatives of the Ministry of Education and its subordinated agencies, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy and shall take into account the recommendations of the 2021-2022 Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 5. Support to integrate the research, development and innovation organisations in Romania in the European Research Area

The objective of this reform is to increase the performance and consolidation of the public research, development and innovation organisations in Romanian and their integration into the European Research Area.

The reform shall be implemented by entry into force of legislation that encourages, facilitates and regulate the voluntary and functional integration and merger of research institutions. The legislative framework shall take into account the recommendations of the 2021-2022 Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility, and shall specify at the minimum: a periodic external evaluation of the performance of all research, development and innovation organisations in Romania, and their capacity to add value to the international scientific community and create social and economic impact. The periodic evaluation shall identify synergies and potential mergers among research institutes, and access to financial and non-financial support for research organisations shall depend on the results of these periodic evaluations.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 5. Establishment and operationalisation of Centres of Competence

The objective of the investment is to tackle the thematic fragmentation of research, development and innovation organizations by supporting the implementation of Horizon Europe missions at national level.

The investment pursues the establishment of five “Centres of Competence” to carry on research activities in line with Romanian and European strategic research priorities. The Centres shall be established based on a competitive call as consortia of public and private research institutes, which shall include the participation of small and medium enterprises and partners within consortia shall jointly implement the Strategic Research and Innovation agenda of the correspondent mission from Horizon Europe, enhancing academia-business collaboration in societally relevant research fields. Projects shall contribute to the delivery of solutions improving the lives of citizens, meeting the local needs and increasing the impact of research results at the community level. The 5 “Centres of Competence” shall also use resources to upgrade shared research equipment and infrastructures and disseminate research results.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 6. Development of Horizon Europe mentoring programmes

The objective of this investment is to increase the success rates of applications for Horizon Europe programme.

The investment shall grant 500 vouchers to researchers who have applied for the Horizon Europe programme and have passed the eligibility phase. The vouchers aim at supporting applicants in writing the project proposal, staff exchange in organizations which are on the top in terms of gaining Horizon projects or with experience in writing successful H2020 proposals, participating in brokerage events and accessing the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), projects and research relating the following list of activities and assets shall be excluded from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 36 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 37 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 38 and mechanical biological treatment plants 39 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 7. Strengthening excellence and supporting Romania’s participation in partnerships and missions in Horizon Europe

The objective of this investment is to increase the success rates of applications for Horizon Europe programme. The investment shall grant complementary funding to research, development and innovation projects that are already contracted in the context of green or digital European research development and innovation Partnerships. The measures envisaged are: i) co-funding research projects recommended for funding under European Partnerships for the transition period (2022-2023) – Horizon Europe (based on the work programme conditions from Horizon Europe). Up to 20 projects shall be financed with a maximum budget of EUR 300 000 for each Romanian partner; ii) complementary projects with the purpose to increase the impact of H2020 projects that are already funded (ongoing or recently finalised). Up to 15 projects shall be financed with a maximum budget of EUR 1 000 000; iii) capacity building projects. Up to 20 projects shall be financed with a maximum budget of EUR 500 000.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research relating the following list of activities and assets shall be excluded from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 40 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 41 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 42 and mechanical biological treatment plants 43 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 8. Development of a programme to attract highly specialised human resources from abroad in research, development and innovation activities

The objective of this investment is to increase the research capacity of the research development and innovation organisation.

The investment shall grant funding to 100 research projects led by top international researchers selected based on a number of quality criteria. Candidates shall be selected on a competitive basis and shall be affiliated to host research institutions in Romania and shall contribute to increase the research capacity of the host organisation. They shall be PhD graduates who have been conducting research outside of Romania in the previous 3 years. They shall be able to independently attract funding for their research teams, and to coordinate the project grant and funds and take decisions on the allocation of resources. In doing so, the activities of international researchers shall benefit the performance of the host research institutes.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research projects relating the following list of activities and assets shall be excluded from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 44 ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 45 ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators 46 and mechanical biological treatment plants 47 ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 9 - Support for the holders of certificates of excellence received in the Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship Award

The objective of this investment is to increase the attractiveness research career and of support confirmed researches in carry out their research project.

The investment is to rewarding 50 excellent researchers who are awarded with the Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship Seal of Excellence by 31 December 2023.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research projects relating the following list of activities and assets shall be excluded from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use ; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks ; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators and mechanical biological treatment plants ; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investments 10 - Establishment and financial support of a national network of eight regional career guidance centres as part of the European Research Area Talent Platform

The objective of this investment is to promote the research career and attract pupils, students for performing research activities and develop citizen interest for research.

The investment is to set-up and make operational 8 research carer orientation centres that shall provide career guidance to researchers, promote the research profession and crate direct synergies with the investment 4.4. The 8 centres shall also work as network and become one single entry point for the research career and link research career orientation activities with an educational programme focused on science with and for society, while also promoting Romanian research results, and raising awareness about science benefits in the society.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

I.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
241	Reform 1. Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	Milestone	Entry into force of legislative amendments to streamline, simplify and fully digitise business related procedures	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of i) Law no. 31/1990 – Company Law, ii) Law no. 26/1990, republished, regarding the trade register, iii) Decree-law no. 122/1990 on the authorization and functioning in Romania of the representatives of foreign companies and economic organizations and iv) Law no. 53/2003 – Labour Code				Q3	2022	The legislative changes shall reduce the administrative burden the business environment by simplifying legislation/start-up/exit procedures for firms, in particular the following processes: a) set up a company, exit from the market/closure of a business; b) streamlining, simplifying and digitising procedures for the authorisation and operation of foreign representations in Romania; c) reporting of labour market obligations for companies and other mandatory reporting Legislative changes shall be made on the following normative acts: - Company law no. 31/1990, initiated by the Ministry of Justice; - Law no. 26/1990, republished, regarding the trade register; - Decree Law no. 122/1990 on the authorization and functioning in Romania of the representatives of foreign companies and economic organizations, Initiated by the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism; - Law no. 153/2003 on the Labour Code, initiated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection
242	Reform 1. Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	Milestone	Entry into force of legislative amendments to simplify and make the conduct of the SME test transparent and applicable	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of Law no. 346/2004 on promoting the establishment and development of small and medium enterprises				Q3	2022	The legislative changes are related to the SME test (the ex-ante evaluation of the economic, social and environmental impact of legislative proposals on SMEs). The changes shall ensure that: -A larger and representative sample of SMEs is consulted -the results of the SME test for each legislative proposals are published within 30 days -the results of the SME test are embedded into the legislatives proposal/amendments related to SMEs.
243	Reform 1. Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	Milestone	Entry into force of the law “Single Industrial Licence”	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Single Industrial Licence				Q4	2022	The law of the Single Industrial Licence, shall ensure: I.a reorganisation of the procedures needed to obtain industry-related licences, II. the integration of existing sectorial licences into one single streamlined procedure, III.the redesign of the application procedures, the institution of a Coordinating Body, an Inter-ministerial working group, to coordinate these procedures, IV.the abolishment of dual controls and of unneeded license renewal requirements, V.Creation of a taxonomy of license types, according to their main features and characteristics VI.an amendment of the 2003 law that establishes a “silence is consent” policy – Government Emergency Ordinance no. 27/2003 – aiming to have a timer for tacit approval (silence is consent) which enters into force when the electronic platform registers the licensing request. The licensing request shall be granted automatically if/when tacit approval occurs; VII.The adoption, in Romanian legislation of the “once-only” principle, enabling the investors’ right to only be required to supply the same information or documents to public institutions once; VIII.The adoption of the necessary legislative amendments for the full implementation of an Electronic Point of Single Contact, including a definition of its main features.
244	Reform 1. Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	Target	Reducing the average time needed to perform business environment related regulatory requirements		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q4	2025	Reducing the time by 50% for: 1.setting up/leaving the market for firms, 2.authorization of foreign representations in Romania; manufacturing sector 3.Obtaining industry-related licenses/permits Baseline to be used: -20 days - starting a business in 2020 -30 days - authorization of a foreign representative in 2020 -an average of 217 days – obtaining industry-related licenses / permits in 2020 (Example: 147 days - dealing with Construction Permits))
245	Reform 1 legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	Target	Legislative acts/modification related to SMEs for which the test was applied		Percentage (%)	50% [2020]	100%	Q4	2025	100% of legislative acts/modification related to SMEs for which the test was applied.
246	Investment 1. Digital platforms on legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business.	Milestone	Digital platforms set-up, connected to a single electronic point of contact and fully operational	Digital platforms established and operational				Q4	2023	Establishment of at least seven operational public digital platforms that are connected to a single electronic point of contact and fully operational and that build on current relevant digital databases as follows: - simplification of the procedures for setting up / leaving the market of the companies, setting up and operating working locations - introduction of a One Stop Shop for licenses / authorizations / certifications - integration of legislative changes on the efficiency and transparency of controls over the activity of businesses - transparency of the funds collection and funds management for the benefit of copyright holders and their related rights - stimulation of the competitiveness of the business environment, to ensure legislative transparency, debureaucratisation and procedural simplification - integration of services dedicated to employers and occupations - simplification obligations and legal provisions in terms of archiving.
247	Investment 2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	Milestone	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government.	Agreement signed				Q4	2021	Signature of the Contribution Agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government, including: a.Compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing and an exclusion list. b.Criteria to ensure that the financial instrument is in line with Commission’s Guidance Note of 22 January 2021 (SWD(2021) 12 final) related to financial instruments. Considering that the proposed instrument shall be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU (MS-Compartment or top-up of an existing product under the EU-Compartment), the points (a) and (b) mentioned above shall be ensured through the application of the InvestEU provisions and the selected Implementing Partner’s lending policy and exclusion criteria. Additional exclusions necessary in order to ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be specified in the guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF). The financial instrument shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, implemented by the EIF, and deliver finance and investments to SMEs with up to 249 employees, companies with up to 500 employees, and individuals (“beneficiaries”) through working capital, credit lines, investment loans, or leasing. The financial instrument shall address the current hurdles faced by Romanian enterprises in accessing finance, namely: increased cost of finance, lack of collateral and impaired credit channels. In particular, the instrument shall target liquidity/solvency challenges faced by the enterprises’ due to their inability to meet their financial obligations resulting from the significant - temporary reduction of their revenues, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. In this context, the instrument shall be designed to improve access to finance and revitalize blocked lending channels during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis by supporting investments or working capital needs of enterprises. It is expected that at least 1 500 beneficiaries shall be supported under the instrument. The structure of the instrument shall enable to leverage private funds. Any returns to the financial instrument, including from repayments, as well as profits obtained through the use of RRF funds, less the remuneration of the fund manager and the financial intermediaries, shall be used for the same policy goals, including after 2026.
248	Investment 2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q2	2023	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 247, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.
249	Investment 2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the resources allocated to the instrument approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	50	100	Q2	2024	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 247, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.
250	Investment 2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	Milestone	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government.	Agreement signed				Q4	2021	Signature of the Contribution Agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government, including: a. Selection criteria for compliance with the “Do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, and an exclusion list. b. Criteria to ensure that the financial instrument is in line with Commission’s Guidance Note of 22 January 2021 (SWD(2021) 12 final) related to financial instruments. Considering that the proposed instrument shall be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU (potential top-up of an existing product under the EU-Compartment), the points (a), and (b) mentioned above shall be ensured through the application of the InvestEU provisions and the selected Implementing Partner’s lending policy and exclusion criteria. Additional exclusions necessary in order to ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be specified in the guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF). The financial instrument shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, implemented by the EIF, and deliver finance and investments to SMEs with up to 249 employees, companies with up to 500 employees, and individuals (“beneficiaries”) through working capital, credit lines, investment loans, or leasing, aimed at investments and finance for energy efficiency improvements in enterprises and the residential and buildings sector. It is expected that at least 250 beneficiaries shall be supported under the instrument. The purpose of the instrument shall be to address Romania’s current challenges in supporting investments in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. The specific goals and energy efficiency ambitions of the instrument, as well as structure and eligibility criteria shall be fully aligned and correspond to the ones of the InvestEU EU-Compartment instrument, currently under development. The structure of the instrument shall enable to leverage private funds. Any returns to the financial instrument, including from repayments, as well as profits obtained through the use of RRF funds, less the remuneration of the fund manager and the financial intermediaries, shall be used for the same policy goals, including after 2026.
251	Investment 2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q2	2023	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 250, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
252	Investment 2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	50	100	Q2	2024	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 250, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
253	Investment 2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	Milestone	Signature of the financing agreement between the European Investment Fund and the Romanian Government for the creation of the Recovery Risk Capital Fund (“the Fund”) and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund.	Agreement signed				Q4	2021	Signature of the financing agreement between the European Investment Fund and the Romanian Government, and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund. The latter shall: - be adopted by the governing bodies of the financial instrument; - be in line with Commission’s Guidance Note of 22 January 2021 (SWD(2021) 12 final) related to financial instruments; - include selection criteria to ensure compliance with the “Do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, an exclusion list, the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation; - include the requirement for beneficiaries that derived more than 50% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities or assets in the exclusion list to adopt and publish green transition plans. The Fund shall provide financial instruments (equity) support for SMEs, mid-caps, including start-ups, companies in early and advanced growth stages, and infrastructure projects focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency. The support shall be delivered through venture capital funds and infrastructure funds. The targeted number of beneficiaries shall be 100. The management of the Fund shall be entrusted to the European Investment Fund (EIF). An Investment Committee shall be established, and be responsible for approving operations with intermediaries as proposed by the fund manager (EIF) based on market needs and in an open and market-conform way. Management fees of EIF shall include a performance element. The structure of the Fund shall enable to leverage private funds. Any returns to the Fund or financial instruments, including from repayments, as well as profits obtained through the use of RRF funds, less the remuneration of the fund manager and the financial intermediaries, shall be used for the same policy goals, including after 2026.
254	Investment 2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	Milestone	Finance or investment operations amounting to 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee.	The Investment Committee shall approve at least 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted	Percentage (%)	0	50	Q4	2024	Finance or investment operations amounting to 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 253.
255	Investment 2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	Milestone	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee.	The Investment Committee shall approve 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted	Percentage (%)	50	100	Q2	2026	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 253, by 30 June 2026.
256	Investment 2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitalisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	Milestone	Establishment of the financial instrument (“the Fund”), and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund.					Q1	2022	Signature of the financing agreement between the European Investment Bank and the Romanian Government, and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund. The latter shall: - be adopted by the governing bodies of the financial instrument; - be in line with Commission’s Guidance Note of 22 January 2021 (SWD(2021) 12 final) related to financial instruments; - include selection criteria to ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, an exclusion list, and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation; - include a commitment to invest at least 33% of the funds to support the climate transition and 16% of the funds to support the digital transition, using the methodology in Annexes VI and VII of the RRF Regulation. The Fund shall provide financial instruments (debt) support for at least 25 large companies (with more than 500 employees and/or an annual turnover exceeding EUR 50m and an annual balance sheet total exceeding EUR 43m), public entities and Special Purpose Vehicles, through investments contributing to the low-carbon economy, as well as investments in digitalisation and fixed assets, with the aim of encouraging a greater amount of investment contributing to climate and digital objectives by the target companies and also encouraging the growth and expansion of the companies, in turn creating new employment opportunities and supporting the wider economic recovery. The amount allocated to climate-related intervention fields, in line with annex VI of the RRF regulation, shall be EUR 100m. The amount allocated to digitalisation-related intervention fields, in line with annex VII of the RRF Regulation, shall be EUR 50 million. The Fund may also include further climate and digitalisation related expenditure The management of the Fund shall be entrusted to the European Investment Bank (EIB). An Investment Committee shall be established including independent experts, and be responsible for approving the grant-related components of the projects of final recipients (investees) as proposed by the fund manager (EIB) based on market needs and in an open and market-conform way. The structure of the Fund shall enable to leverage private funds. Any returns to the Fund or financial instruments, including from repayments, as well as profits obtained through the use of RRF funds, less the remuneration of the fund manager and the financial intermediaries, shall be used for the same policy goals, including after 2026.
257	Investment 2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitalisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	Target	At least 30% of the targeted beneficiaries supported.		Percentage (%)	0	30	Q4	2024	At least 30% of the targeted beneficiaries supported, as specified in milestone 256, in accordance with the investment policy and the requirements specified in milestone 256.
258	Investment 2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitalisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	Target	100% of the targeted beneficiaries supported.		Percentage (%)	30	100	Q2	2026	100% of the targeted beneficiaries supported, as specified in milestone 256, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 256, by 30 June 2026.
259	Investment 2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	Milestone	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government.					Q4	2021	Signature of the Contribution Agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government, including: a)Selection criteria for compliance with the “Do no significant harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transaction under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, and an exclusion list. b)Criteria to ensure that the financial instrument is in line with Commission’s Guidance Note of 22 January 2021 (SWD(2021) 12 final) related to financial instruments. c)Considering that the proposed instrument shall be implemented as a contribution to InvestEU, the points (a), and (b) mentioned above shall be ensured through the application of the InvestEU provisions and the selected Implementing Partner’s lending policy and exclusion criteria. Additional exclusions necessary in order to ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) shall be specified in the guarantee agreement between the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The financial instrument shall take the form of a portfolio guarantee, implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and deliver finance and investments for energy efficiency and renewable energy in the residential and buildings sector to SMEs with (up to 249 employees), companies with up to 500 employees, and individuals (“beneficiaries”). It is expected that at least 100 beneficiaries shall be supported under the instrument. The structure of the instrument shall enable to leverage private funds. Any returns to the financial instrument, including from repayments, as well as profits obtained through the use of RRF funds, less the remuneration of the fund manager and the financial intermediaries, shall be used for the same policy goals, including after 2026.
260	Investment 2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	0	50	Q2	2023	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of investment targeted, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 259, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
261	Investment 2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	Target	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.		Percentage (%)	50	100	Q2	2024	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of investment targeted, in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 259, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
262	Investment 3.1 Private sector aid schemes – Aid scheme for the digitalisation of SMEs	Milestone	Selection of the scheme administrator	Communication of selection				Q1	2022	Selection of a scheme manager who shall implement the de minimis scheme (launching the call, assessing contracting and monitoring projects). Project selection criteria shall ensure: -commitment to invest 100% of the funds to support the digital transition, complying with intervention fields 010, 012, 021quater and 021quinquies of Annex VII to the RRF Regulation. -compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). When submitting the application for financing agreement, the business plan shall present any potential risks that may arise for the environment and what are the methods of addressing them.
263	Investment 3.1 Private sector aid schemes - Aid scheme for the digitalisation of SMEs	Target	Number of financing contracts signed		Number	0	5492	Q2	2024	Number of financing contracts signed with enterprises, supporting the uptake of digital technologies/solutions such as artificial intelligence, data, cloud, platforms, block chain, and the digital transformation of the business processes (e.g. using digital technologies for business process automation, using data for dynamic asset management and predictive/prescriptive leadership, using/developing local platforms to sell products/services, development of new digital services) in accordance with the requirements specified in milestone 262. At the end of the investment project, a Technical Report prepared by an independent auditor shall be sent, which shall certify the compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
264	Investment 3.2 Private sector aid schemes - De minimis scheme to assist Romanian firms in listing on the stock	Milestone	Selection of the scheme administrator	Communication of selection				Q3	2022	Selection of a scheme manager who shall implement the de minimis scheme (launching the call, assessing contracting and monitoring projects) Grants shall be provided to companies willing to conduct a stock issuance, pre-qualified for listing, according to the conditions of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, on a first come, first served basis. The aim is to prepare those companies that adhere to the Bucharest Stock Exchange listing rules for a successful capital market funding on any of the available market segments. In order to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), companies that derived more than 50% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities or assets in the exclusion list shall be required to adopt and publish green transition plans.
265	Investment 3.2 Private sector aid schemes - De minimis scheme to assist Romanian firms in listing on the stock exchange	Target	Number of signed financing contracts that shall allow listing on the Bucharest stock exchange		Number	0	280	Q2	2025	Number of financing contracts signed by the aid administrator with enterprises, which shall allow listing on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, in accordance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) and the requirements set out in milestone 264. This support shall directly influence enterprises motivation for access to the capital market and shall stimulate the creation of liquidity on the market.
266	Investment 4. Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	Milestone	Entry into force of the Government Decision allocating the necessary funding of EUR 500 million to provide support to the scale-up of the national capabilities up to the first industrial development and the participation or association in a multi-country project	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force				Q2	2022	The Government Decision shall establish the regulatory framework indicating the procedures and deadlines for submitting projects, as well as the eligibility criteria and requirements for the potential beneficiaries, also setting a budget allocation of EUR 500 million. Additional information shall be set in accordance to other participating Member States to these projects. The multi-country project Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips is expected to be implemented mainly through participation or association to a planned Important Project of Common European Interest.
267	Investment 4. Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	Target	Entities selected for participation or association in the project		Number	0	10	Q4	2022	At least ten entities shall be selected for participation or association in the multi-country project of Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips. The multi-country project is expected to be implemented mainly through participation or association to a planned Important Project of Common European Interest.
268	Investment 4. Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	Target	Entities in consortia participating to calls for projects by the Joint Undertaking of Essential Digital Technologies (KDT JU)		Number	0	3	Q4	2022	At least 3 entities in consortia shall participate to calls for projects by the Joint Undertaking of Essential Digital Technologies (KDT JU). The participants from the multi-country project on Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips shall contribute, in a multinational context, to the establishment of capabilities in the field in which KDT JU shall launch calls for project proposals. The activities of the two mechanisms are complementary.
269	Investment 4. Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	Target	Contracts signed by the participating companies		Percentage (%)	0	50%	Q3	2023	At least 50% of the companies selected have signed financial agreements/contracts and project implementation has started
270	Reform 2. Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	Milestone	Policy Support Facility (PSF) Reform Implementation Unit established and operational	Adoption of a normative act for the operationalisation Policy Support Facility Reform Implementation Unit				Q4	2021	The operationalisation of a temporary Policy Support Facility Reform Unit with the mandate to implement and monitor the Policy Support Facility recommendations translated into reforms of national research, development and innovation ecosystem. The new unit, with the support of the Policy Support Facility, shall redesign in a coordinated manner with the relevant public authorities, the architecture and functions of the research, development and innovation system, to enhance the quality of research and innovation investments for a resilient and performant system. For this, the mandate of the unit shall focus, inter alia, on 5 priorities: a)governance of research, development and innovation system; b)framework conditions for public research, human resources for research and innovation; c)Internationalization of research, development and innovation organizations; d)public–private partnerships in of research, development and innovation; e)impact of structural funds on the research, development and innovation system. The unit shall be operational between 2021-2026 and shall consist of 17 full-time equivalent staff.
271	Reform 2. Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	Target	Share of recommendations in Policy Support Facility adopted by the end of 2026		Percentage (%)	0	80	Q2	2026	Romania shall implement recommendations detailed in the upcoming Policy Support Facility peer review, while respecting the sequencing and prioritisation that shall be suggested by the Policy Support Facility established under Milestone 270.
272	Reform 2. Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	Milestone	Entry into force of a permanent system to design, implement, monitor and evaluate research, development and innovation policy	Legislative act indicating the entry into force of the permanent system that designs, implements, monitors and evaluates research, development and innovation policy				Q2	2026	Romania shall establish a permanent system that ensures the harmonised design and implementation, monitor and evaluation of research, development and innovation policy across ministries and agencies beyond the RRF timeline, based on Policy Support Facility recommendations 2021-2022
273	Reform 2. Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	Milestone	Entry into force of a Government Ordinance establishing a single body that encompasses the existing councils, ensures inter-ministerial coordination and reaches out to the private sector	Provision in a Government Ordinance indicating the entry into force of the legislation for the establishment of the single body				Q2	2023	Regulatory modifications (i.e. in the Government Ordinance no. 57/2002) shall allow the creation of a new body with a decisional role focused on research, development and innovation and smart specialization policies, at the governmental level with responsible ministries, shall be created. This body shall cover the coordination of research, development and innovation activities (research driven innovation and entrepreneurship included) at the national level and shall be designed in line with Policy Support Facility research, development and innovation 2021-2022 recommendations. The secretariat of this body shall be assured by Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization.
274	Reform 3. Reform of the research career	Milestone	Entry into force of legislation on the researcher’s career and status	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislation on the researcher’s career and status				Q4	2023	The amended Law 319/2003 shall detail the Key Performance Indicators (based on international research standards) that shall be used to evaluate the performance of researchers, and the amended Law 206/204 shall detail the standards for “good conduct in scientific research”, and therefore access to funding and scholarships. The new legislation shall aim for alignment with European best practices, including: a)promotion in the research career based on merit-based principles, b)recruitment on transparent, open and competitive procedures c)good practices in ethics and integrity in scientific research. The new legislation shall equally include a framework of financial and non-financial incentives to encourage the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers by research institutions. This shall be put into place especially in the context of the eligibility requirements for competitive calls, evaluation criteria of organisations, institutional funding and in connection to milestones 280 and 283. These new legislative procedures shall also take into account the recommendations of the 2021-2022 Horizon Europe PSF.
275	Reform 3. Reform of the research career	Target	Institutions that adhered to the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers initiated the process of design, implementation and assessment of Action Plans		Number	5	16	Q4	2025	On top of already 5 existing institutions, 9 other institutions that adhered to the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers, shall initiate the process of design, implementation and assessment of Action Plans based on the European Commission’s 'Human Resources Strategy for Researchers' (HRS4R) tool that helps employers and funders to implement the principles of the Charter & Code in their institutions. By September 2021, 16 Romanian institutions adhered to the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers and only 5 institutions initiated the process of design, implementation and assessment of Action Plans.
276	Reform 4. Enhance cooperation between business and research	Milestone	Entry into force of legislative amendments for a favourable environment for public and private investment in research, development and innovation	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendments for the research, development and innovation investments simplification				Q1	2024	Entry into force legislative amendments to create a favourable environment for public and private investment in research, development and innovation. The amendments shall: -simplify and streamline national legislation related to contracting, financing, monitoring and evaluation of programmes in the research, development and innovation projects -ensure that all procedures related to contracting, financing, monitoring and evaluation of programmes in research, development and innovation are digitalized -ensure full publication of all deliverables from publicly funded projects with the exception of security and defense related projects -ensure that all research& development and innovation projects of value higher than EUR 500 000 publicly funded are evaluated by internationally recognized researchers before approval by the Public Contracting Authority, ensuring the avoidance of conflict of interest. -ensure that deliverables of the selected research projects of value higher than EUR 500 000 are critically reviewed by international recognized researchers (as part of projects Steering Committees) before approval by the Public Contracting Authority, ensuring the avoidance of conflict of interest. Public hearings are organized for mid-term evaluation of research, development and innovation projects. Evaluation reviews are sent to projects consortium according with Horizon Europe practices. -The new Strategy for Research, Innovation and Smart Specialization shall ensure an increased participation of business in research & development and innovation projects publicly funded, to support integration of the Romanian business sector into strategic European value chains, by prioritizing the involvement of SMEs and start-ups in these areas and as specified in the “Romanian Entrepreneurship Strategy” (to be adopted by the Ministry of Economy).
277	Reform 4. Enhance cooperation between business and research	Target	40% of publicly funded research, development and innovation projects have at least one business entity involved as a partner	Percentage of projects with at least one partner from the business sector funded by Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation and its agencies.	Percentage (%)			Q2	2026	40% of publicly funded research, development and innovation projects have at least one business entity active, including SMEs and start-ups, as a partner in projects funded by Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation and its agencies.
278	Reform 5. Support to integrate the research, development and innovation organisations in Romania in the European Research Area	Milestone	Entry into force of a law encourages, facilitates and regulates the voluntary and functional integration and merger of research institutions in Romania	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of a law for encouraging, facilitating and regulating the voluntary and functional integration and merger of research institutions in Romania				Q4	2022	The law shall enter into force to address the high fragmentation of the research system in Romania. This shall encourage, facilitate and regulate the integration of research institutions. The legislative framework shall take into account the recommendations of the 2021-2022 Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility, and shall specify at the minimum: -a periodic external evaluation (i.e. every 5 years) of all research and development institutes in Romania, including those at University level, based on international standards conducive towards scientific excellence and social-economic impact, in view of addressing the high fragmentation of the research & development system and their integration into the European Research Area. One of the criteria to be included in the evaluation is the extent to which research organisations share research facilities. -access to financial and non-financial support for research organisations, correlated with the results of the aforementioned periodic evaluation.
279	Reform 5. Support to integrate the research, development and innovation organisations in Romania in the European Research Area	Target	Percentage of research organisations sharing research infrastructure and facilities		Percentage (%)	0	25%	Q2	2026	25% of the research organisations shall share research infrastructure and facilities. Romania shall report annually the share of all research organisations (as listed in the European Research Infrastructure System) that share research infrastructure and facilities.
280	Investment 5. Establishment and operationalisation of Competence Centres	Milestone	Establishment of 5 Centres of Competence	Five Centres of Competence are established				Q4	2022	To tackle the thematic fragmentation of research, development and innovation organizations, a competitive call shall be organized for the selection of 5 complex research, development and innovation projects. The funding scheme is called “Competence Centre”. Based on the projects proposals submitted, as the result of the competitive, open and transparent call organised by the Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation, 5 centres of competence shall be established, one for each Horizon mission. The purpose is to implement Horizon Europe missions at national level in a coordinated manner and to tackle thematic fragmentation. Centres of Competences shall be selected based on: -a complex and applicative research, development and innovation projects proposed by consortia of public and private research, development and innovation organizations, including small and medium enterprises, who shall implement together Strategic Research and Innovation agenda of the correspondent mission from Horizon Europe and deliver research, development and innovation solutions for local communities. -The scientific merit of the project, its level of excellence and the coherence of the proposed research agenda with the strategic research agenda of the Horizon Europe missions shall be the main evaluation criteria for the selection of the funded proposals – one for each mission in Horizon Europe. -The administrative capacity, experience and the quality of the management plan for the project shall also be assessed during the project evaluation process conducted with international experts. Complementarity among members of the consortium and past experience in working together are also criteria to be used in the selection process. -The eligible activities are research and innovation activities, upgraded research equipment, dissemination activities and support activities (studies regarding implementation of each mission in Romania), costs related to Intellectual Property Rights. -a mapping of research, development and innovation resources, including equipment and infrastructures, related to the thematic areas of the missions, also to be upgraded and used in a shared manner by the applicants. -An eligible budget that is maximum EUR 5 million/project and with a minimum number of 5 partners (5 public research, development and innovation organizations + 5 private research, development and innovation organizations). There shall be a maximum budget for SMEs, of EUR 200 000 and a maximum budget for a public research, development and innovation organization of EUR 500 000. SMEs shall co-fund research and innovation activities with 25%. -An engagement with public authorities at various levels of governance and civil society in order to implement research, development and innovation solutions related to the Horizon Europe missions. As such, public authorities shall be involved as third parties without being directly linked to the research consortium of the competence centre and shall be among the recipients of some of the products/services/solutions identified by researcher from Competence Centres. Each selected Centre of Competences shall aim to support at least 3 applications above the threshold to Horizon Europe by 2026.
281	Investment 5. Establishment and operationalisation of Competence Centres	Target	Budget attracted by the Centres of Competence from private sector research, development and innovation projects		Million EUR	0	1,25	Q4	2025	EUR 1,25 million shall be attracted from the private sector to co-finance research, development and innovation activities through competence centres (each SMEs shall invest 25% of the budget received, as part of its own contribution); Large enterprises are also eligible to participate in Centres of Competence.
282	Investment 6. Development of Horizon Europe mentoring programmes	Target	Vouchers granted as part of the Horizon Europe mentoring program		Number	0	500	Q2	2026	500 vouchers shall be granted by the Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation to applicants submitting a project proposal in calls for application under the Horizon Europe programme and have passed eligibility phase (and above threshold for one evaluation criteria for EUR 10 000) for: -writing project proposals, -staff exchange -participation in brokerage events -the use of Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics In order to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research activities related to the activities/assets on the exclusion list shall not be eligible.
283	Investment 7. Strengthening excellence and supporting Romania’s participation in partnerships and missions in Horizon Europe	Target	Number of research financing contracts signed		Number	0	55	Q4	2023	The scheme shall be a competitive call complementing with funding research projects that are already contracted in the context of a European research development and innovation Partnerships (which are assessed globally at European level), especially the ones focused on green and digital for RDI complementary projects and RDI capacity building projects, as well as co-funding Horizon Europe RDI projects for 2022-2023 under Horizon Europe partnerships based on the Horizon Europe rules). Number of research financing contracts signed, in view of increasing the successful participation in research, development and innovation partnerships in Horizon Europe. The types of eligible activities, to be funded, are: -Basic research (maximum 10% of the amount of the budget requested); -Industrial research; -Experimental development; -Feasibility studies; -Innovation activities; In order to ensure compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research, development and innovation activities relating to the activities / assets on the exclusion list shall be excluded from eligibility.
284	Investment 8. Development of a programme to attract highly specialised human resources from abroad in research, development and innovation activities	Target	Projects led by international researchers financed			0	100	Q4	2023	100 projects led by top international researchers shall be financed through a financing scheme. A public open call for candidatures shall be launched in 2022 and candidates shall be selected on the basis of a number of quality criteria. Selected researchers shall increase the research capacity of the research, development and innovation organisation and increase the institutional performance of the host organisation. The selection criteria for the research projects shall include: a)a researcher based outside of Romania which has conducted research outside of Romania for at least the past 3 years; b)with a doctorate obtained at least 3 years before the grant application date; c)has the proven capacity to independently attract competitive funding from his/her coordinating research teams, including doctoral students (the specific conditions for eligibility as a top researcher shall be specified in the information package); d)coordinate the project grant and funds and take decisions on the allocation of resources; It publishes independently as the first author and/or author of the correspondent; e)build and supervise the work of the team, including doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers; f)has access to other areas and facilities for conducting research. The top researcher shall be active in the host institution at least 75% of the period covered by the grant and shall be employed by the host institution for the duration of the project.” In order to ensure compliance with the “Do No Significant Harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research, development and innovation activities relating to the activities / assets on the exclusion list shall be excluded from eligibility.
285	Investment 9. Support for the holders of certificates of excellence received in the Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship Award	Target	Marie Sklodowska Curie recipients of Seal of Excellence		Number	0	50	Q4	2023	50 Marie Sklodowska Curie recipients of Seal of Excellence for excellent individual fellowships shall receive a grant to carry out Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research projects. As the projects have been already evaluated and received a Seal of Excellence Certificate (which shall be the eligibility criteria), the grants shall be selected on a first come/first served basis, after an open and transparent call for expression of interest. In order to ensure compliance with the “Do No Significant Harm” Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), research, development and innovation activities relating to the activities / assets on the exclusion list shall be excluded from eligibility.
286	Investment 10. Establishment and financial support of a national network of eight regional career guidance centres as part of the European Research Area Talent Platform	Milestone	A network of public universities which are hosting and making operational 8 centres for research career orientation	Award contract for public universities which are interested in hosting and making operational 8 centres for research career orientation				Q2	2023	The Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation shall launch a competitive call for selecting a network of 8 public universities which are interested in hosting and making operational 8 centres for research career orientation. The centres will address the needs of the scientific community from all regions of Romania (centres are hosted by universities, but the services are offered for regional communities) The regional centres for research carer orientation shall have the following roles: -Provide career guidance to researchers and 90% of the recipients of such services are satisfied with the services received; -work to promote the research, development and innovation national system, including by creating direct synergies with the investment 4.4 and the 100 grants to be funded and lead by top international researchers -work as network and become one single entry point for research career. This is an instrument for implementing research career reforms (e.g. monitoring the number of research, development and innovation organisations which endorsed Charter and Code of researchers and help organisations willing to initiate procedure for HRS4R). -Work on the integrated package with a large programme focus on science with and for society (8 components focus on different target groups from young pupils to students, and local communities) which is linked with the research career orientation, while promoting Romanian research results in society, raising awareness about science benefits and attracting young people to research careers.
287	Investment 10. Establishment and financial support of a national network of eight regional career guidance centres as part of the European Research Area Talent Platform	Target	Researchers who have benefited from the services of career guidance centres		Number	0	450	Q2	2026	450 researchers shall benefit from services of career guidance centres. The Ministry of Research, Digitalisation and Innovation shall launch a competitive call for selecting a network of 8 public universities which are interested in hosting and making operational 8 centres for research career orientation.

J.COMPONENT 10: Local Fund

This component of the recovery and resilience plan addresses challenges related to territorial and social disparities in urban and rural areas, as well as urban mobility.

The objective of this component is to support an urban and rural transformation through the use of green and digital solutions. The reforms supporting the investments include regulatory changes to support the functional urban and rural areas approach, through the implementation of metropolitan areas and of administrative consortia to increase access to local public social services, education, healthcare, housing and improved territorial planning. The component also includes reforms for sustainable urban mobility and should be seen in connection with the “Sustainable Transport” component. The investments supported by these reforms relate to the construction of housing facilities for vulnerable youngsters, health and education professionals, the renewal of public transport fleets, infrastructure for green and more secure transport, modernisation of local public buildings, and preparation/updating of spatial planning and urban planning documents in a digital format.

The reforms and investments shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendations (country-specific recommendations) conveyed to Romania in 2019 and 2020, on the need to: (i) “focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on sustainable transport, digital service infrastructure” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020) while “taking into account regional disparities” (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019); (ii) “provide adequate income substitution solutions and expand social protection measures and access to essential services for all” (country-specific recommendation 2, 2020) and “increase the coverage and quality of social services (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019); (iii) “improve the quality and effectiveness of public administration and the predictability of decision-making” (country-specific recommendation 4, 2020).

J.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility

The objective of the reform is to improve mobility conditions in urban and rural areas, decrease green-house gas emission from transport and to increase road safety in urban areas, through digital and green transportation solutions.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a legislation for sustainable urban mobility and the implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans at the subnational level. The legislation shall include measures to stimulate the renewal of the public transport fleet with clean vehicles, increase road safety and secure minimum national quality standards. It binds urban municipalities to tackle air pollution at the city and functional area level through the adoption of a series of transport policies, such as the establishment of low-emission zones and incentives for the use of alternative means of transportation. Finally, it sets guidelines that urban municipalities shall follow when drafting the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, and tasks an ad-hoc National Body under the Ministry for Development, Local Works and Administration with providing support as needed.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. Both the legislation and the National Body supporting the drafting of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans shall be in force by 31 December 2022.

Investment 1 Sustainable urban mobility

The objective of this investment is to increase access to sustainable and safe mobility solutions in urban and rural areas.

The investment shall upgrade transport infrastructure, securing its environmental sustainability through new zero-emissions public transport vehicles, building additional 13 200 charging points for electric vehicles and 1 091km of cycling lanes at local/metropolitan level. Investments shall equally consist of intelligent transport systems and other ICT infrastructure to increase road security, reduce travelling time and traffic congestions. The investments shall contribute to increasing the share of travels using local public transport with zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams) to 60% in 2025 compared to 45,4% in 2019. Equally, following the implementation of the investments in charging points for electric vehicles, Romania would have a total of at least 30 000 charging points, funded from various sources, including the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience. Investments shall be equally based on compulsory alignment with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan/Integrated Sustainable Development/General Urban Plan approved or under development, ensuring coverage with mobility services in the functional and peri-urban area, prioritisation and promotion of public transport in local traffic by planning preferential routes and bus lanes on most frequented/congested arteries, and having a public service contract with economic operators in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

J.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
288	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Entry into force of legislation in the field of sustainable urban mobility	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the sustainable urban mobility legislative act				Q4	2022	The legislation for sustainable urban mobility shall include: -measures to stimulate the renewal of the public transport fleet with clean vehicles and secure minimum national quality standards and access to public transport; -the establishment of the Guide to develop Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans in compliance with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy C (2020) 789/2020 (Commission Communication) and the assessment and quality verification of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans -provisions to oblige urban municipalities to establish low-emission zones, preferential routes (including bus lanes) for clean public transport; -measures to reduce road safety risk at urban level and measures that allow to limit the space for private cars and the implementation and monitoring of parking policies at local level; -measures that allow the development of infrastructure to encourage the safe and secure use of public transport, bicycles and walking; -measures to allow the implementation of intermodal nodes to facilitate transport in the functional urban area/metropolitan area. The legislation shall be developed in line with: -the provisions of European Regulation No 1370/2007, the European General Safety Regulation (GSR) (2019/2144), which shall enter into force on 6 July 2022; -Romania’s urban policy which shall include provisions on population density (ensuring the efficiency of the public transport service) and on the accessibility of the population to transport services (percentage of the population which is less than 0.5km away from a public transport line where there is a maximum frequency of 20 minutes); -the minimum service standards for collective public transport shall be achieved through amendments/additions to Law No 92/2007 on public passenger transport services in administrative and territorial units; -the reforms on road safety and regional and urban mobility established under the sustainable transport component (milestones 65-68).
289	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Entry into force of the ministerial order establishing a structure for the provision of technical assistance for the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) established and operational	Provision in the ministerial order indicating the entry into force of the structure for the provision of technical assistance for the development of SUMPs				Q4	2022	A National Body shall be created under the supervision of the Ministry for Development, Public Works and Administration and in coordination with line ministries such as Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Environment, and shall be responsible to support cities to draw up Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans and assess and verify the quality of SUMPs. The central public administration shall support cities in developing/updating SUMPs by organising regular meetings of the National Group on the optimisation of SUMPs in Romania, organised by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration which shall bring together the relevant actors (representatives of central, local public administration, academia, private environment, NGO). The secretariat of the National Group shall be ensured by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration.
290	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Signature of all public transport service contracts expiring between 2021 and 2026 for 40 counties	Signature of contracts				Q2	2026	Signature of all public transport service contracts expiring in 2021-2026 following open tendering procedures at the level of county residences, respecting the minimum service standards for collective public transport at national level, so that in Q2 2026 all 40 county capital cities shall continue to have public transport contracts.
291	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Target	Reducing the air pollutant emissions		kt CO2 eq (base year 1990)	266 371	159 823	Q2	2026	The target shall quantify the reduction of air pollutants as planned in the National Air Pollution Control Programme. At the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) level, the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions is administered as a component of the EU GHG emissions monitoring mechanism. The parameter regarding the historical level of GHG emissions used shall be GHG emissions from road transport. The proposed target for reducing GHG emissions is the national target for reducing emissions for 2030, respectively reducing total GHG emissions by 40%. In the total national GHG emissions, at the level of 2019, the domestic transport sector contributes with approx. 17%. The target shall also be identified on the basis of the network of fixed points for urban air quality monitoring developed by Ministry of Environment.
292	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Target	Reduction by 25% in the number of people killed or seriously injured as a result of road accidents in urban municipalities compared to reference year 2019		Percentage (%)	100%	75%	Q1	2026	The target aims to quantify the measures to improve traffic safety in the urban environment. The target is to reduce by 25% the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in urban municipalities in 2025 vs. the baseline in 2019. The target is in line with that set out in the draft update of the National Road Safety Strategy, which foresees a 50% reduction in the number of people seriously injured or killed as a result of road accidents by 2030.
293	Reform 1. Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	Target	20% increase in yearly total passenger volume using local public transport in 2026 compared to 2019		Number of passengers using local public transport	1 763 000 000	2 115 600	Q2	2026	The target refers to the increase by 20% in passenger volumes using local public transport in 2025 compared to 2019. It would be a result of the increase in number of vehicles intended for public transport at local level, in conjunction with measures to discourage the use of private vehicles,
294	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the renewal of public transport fleets (procurement of clean vehicles)	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The financing scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for funding for beneficiaries that shall be selected via open, and transparent call for proposals, which shall include inter alia the following specifications: -Compulsory alignment of the investments with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan/Integrated Sustainable Development/General Urban Plan approved or under development; -Ensuring coverage with mobility services in the functional and peri-urban area. Ensure prioritisation and promotion of public transport in local traffic by planning preferential routes and bus lanes on most frequented/congested arteries; -Having a public service contract with economic operators in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007; -Mandatory classification of purchased vehicles under the provisions of the European General Safety Regulation — GSR (2019/2144), which shall enter into force on 6 July 2022. -Criteria for the funding of exclusively zero-emission vehicles: buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams, and minibuses. Priority shall be given for investments implemented in functional urban or rural areas.
295	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Additional zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams and minibuses) (number of vehicles)		Number	1 618	2 186	Q4	2024	The target refers to the number of additional zero-emission vehicles: buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams in operation in urban areas and minibuses (that could be purchased for rural areas as well).
296	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Additional zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams and minibuses) (number of vehicles)		Number	2 186	2 753	Q2	2026	The target refers to the number of additional zero-emission vehicles in operation in urban areas (except for minibuses that could be purchased for rural areas as well): number of buses, trams, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery and minibuses — 1 135 new clean vehicles with zero exhaust emissions (200 buses. Electric buses/hydrogen 12-18 m, 515 Electric buses/hydrogen 10 m, 50 Trams, 50 pieces. Trolleybuses 12-18 m, 320 electric/hydrogen minibuses).
297	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Increase in the share of travels in Administrative Territorial Units with local public transport services using zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams) compared to 2019		Percentage (%)	45,4% [2019]	60%	Q2	2026	The target refers to the percentage of travels with zero-emissions public transport at local level out of the total travels with local public transport (60% in 2025 compared to 45,4% in 2019).
298	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the provision of ITS/other ICT infrastructure	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for funding for beneficiaries that shall be selected via open, and transparent call for proposals, which shall include inter alia the following specifications: -Compulsory alignment of the investments with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan/Integrated Sustainable Development/General Urban Plan approved; -Ensuring coverage with mobility services in the functional and peri-urban area. Ensure prioritisation and promotion of public transport in local traffic by planning preferential routes and bus lanes on most frequented/congested arteries; The following actions shall be eligible under Intelligent Transport Systems (in line with intervention field 076 - Digitalisation of urban transport) -Smart traffic management -Charging solutions -Integrated smart parking solutions -Traffic control centres -Speed adaptation warning systems -Safety systems for the working area -Interconnected traffic light system -Monitoring of travel times and speed -Weighing systems in motion -Priority signal for the use of emergency vehicles -Dynamic message signs -Travel planner for public transport. -Integrated passenger information systems Other types of ICT infrastructures (in cities and municipalities) - Smart City/Smart Village concept shall also be eligible in relation to technological developments (in line with intervention field 021ter Development of highly specialised support services and facilities for public administrations and businesses) such as: -Use of drones to inspect areas or situations of risk (mountain areas). -Real-time Situation Monitoring Centre in the city -Smart management systems for green space systems. -Extension of the WiFi system in public spaces. -Smart urban furniture. -Public space monitoring and safety system. -Valorisation of heritage objectives through digital digitisation or reconstruction -One-stop-shop for business. -Platform to attract investments. -Platform for communicating with citizens and forming community initiatives -Local community innovation hubs -Development or modernisation of vocational education and training infrastructure. -Digitalisation of the education system. -Metropolitan GIS databases. -Open data platform -Virtual civil servant. -‘Cloud’ services -Digital Public Service Platform. -Registration and document issuing systems -Urban data centre and real-time monitoring of the state of the city. -City app (application to inform citizens and identify problems at local level). -Online payment of taxes. -Online planning system — website that allows citizens to be encoded online at various APL desks. -Public service information kiosks. -Online platform and/or mobile application to map energy consumption at neighbourhood or city level. -Smart electricity grid that may be deployed in different areas of collective housing (Smart Grid). -Automation of irrigation systems for green space -‘Smart’ sanitation infrastructure. -Real-time monitoring of the state of technical and municipal infrastructure and consumption.
299	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Administrative Territorial Units with developed/ expanded systems operational— Intelligent Transport Systems and e-ticketing/ other ICT infrastructures		Number	0	246	Q4	2024	Number of Administrative Territorial Units with developed/expanded systems operational — Intelligent Transport Systems and e-ticketing/other ICT infrastructures, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 298.
300	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Administrative Territorial Units with developed/ expanded systems operational — Intelligent transport systems and e-ticketing/ other ICT infrastructures)		Number	246	491	Q2	2026	Number of Administrative Territorial Units with developed/expanded systems operational — Intelligent Transport Systems and e-ticketing/other ICT infrastructures, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 298.
301	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Signature of contracts for building electric vehicle recharging points	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for funding for beneficiaries that shall be selected via open and transparent call for proposals, which shall include inter alia the following specifications: -Compulsory alignment of the investments with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan/Integrated Sustainable Development/General Urban Plan approved or under development; -Ensuring coverage with mobility services in the functional and peri-urban area. Ensure prioritisation and promotion of public transport in local traffic by planning preferential routes and bus lanes on most frequented/congested arteries; -Having a public service contract with economic operators in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007. Until 2026, county seat cities (including each sector in Bucharest) shall each ensure the development of a minimum of 40 recharging points for electric vehicles accessible to the public/Administrative Territorial Unit.
302	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Additional recharging points for electric vehicles		Number	0	6 600	Q4	2024	Intermediary target for the number of recharging points for electric vehicles operational.
303	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Additional number of recharging points for electric vehicles		Number	6 600	13 200	Q2	2026	Number of recharging points for electric vehicles operational.
304	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Milestone	Signature of contracts for investments in cycling infrastructure at local/metropolitan level	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for funding for beneficiaries that shall be selected via open, and transparent call for proposals, which shall include inter alia the following specifications: -Compulsory alignment of the investments with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan/Integrated Sustainable Development/General Urban Plan approved or under development; -Ensuring preferential routes for clean public transport for public roads having at least three lanes in each direction (condition that is only valid for Administrative Territorial Units with public roads having at least three lanes per direction)
305	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Operational cycling runways (km) at local/metropolitan level		Kilometres (km)	0	546	Q4	2024	Length of operational cycling runways (km) including road safety measures, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 304.
306	Investment 1. Sustainable urban mobility	Target	Operational cycling runways at local/metropolitan level (km)		Kilometres (km)	546	1 091	Q2	2026	Length of completed and operational cycling runways (km), including road safety measures, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 304.

J.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 2: Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation

The objective of the reform is to allow people living in urban areas, including those of marginal/peripheral communities, an increased access to quality services such as mobility, housing and other public services delivered at local level.

The reform defines the framework through which urban centres and peri-urban areas shall coordinate in order to enhance their capacity to deliver quality and integrated services and improve living standards of their citizens. The two main pillars of the reform are the Metropolitan Areas Act and the Romanian Urban Policy Framework. The Act defines functional urban areas and their main responsibilities (namely, mobility, housing and spatial planning); establishes bodies for steering and coordinating policy initiatives and investments at the functional urban level; ensures their fiscal capacity through transparent and predictable budget sources; and allows for joint procurement for provision of goods and services at functional urban level. The Framework underpins the establishment of functional urban areas and further defines exclusive responsibilities at the local level as well as those that are shared with the central level.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The Metropolitan Areas Act and the Romanian Urban Policy Framework shall be approved and enter into force by 30 June 2022 and by 31 December 2022, respectively.

Reform 3: Creating the policy framework for sustainable rural transformation: establishing administrative consortia in functional rural areas

The objective of the reform is to allow people living in rural areas, including those of marginal/peripheral communities, an increased access to quality services such as mobility, housing and other public services delivered at local level.

The reform aims to integrate policy and service delivery across rural administrative territorial units in order to enhance well-being in less-dense areas 48 . In particular, amendments to the Administrative Code shall allow for the establishment of administrative consortia in functional rural areas which are neighbouring rural administrative units that are economically and socially integrated, and face similar challenges and opportunities for their development (such as proximity to common natural resources, exposure to same structural shocks). The Amendments shall moreover define the functional rural areas judicial regime and responsibilities; establish bodies for steering and coordinating policy initiatives and investments at the functional rural area level; ensure their fiscal capacity through transparent and predictable budget sources; and allow for full digital integration of public services delivered by the administrative units, including the use of joint procurement for the provision of goods and services, at functional rural area level.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The amendments to the Administrative Code allowing the creation of the administrative consortia in functional rural areas shall enter into force by 31 December 2022.

Reform 4: Improving housing quality

The objective of this reform is to reduce severe housing deprivation for vulnerable categories and groups, especially for persons in marginalised communities in urban and rural areas.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a legislative act to secure the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and its Action Plan, including through the use of mechanisms such as metropolitan areas and administrative consortia. Equally, these documents shall be accompanied by a mapping of housing needs especially in marginalized communities and groups, including informal settlements in urban and rural areas. The reform shall ensure complementarity with the existing or future Integrated Community Centres investments (i.e. delivering education, social and basic healthcare services) funded under the ESF+ and the future Cohesion Policy, and shall not lead to social segregation.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The legislative act to secure the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and Action Plan shall be adopted and enter into force by 30 June 2022.

Reform 5: Development of the planning system — Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction

The objective of the reform is to improve the overall territorial planning by simplified and digitalised spatial planning documents and procedures, increased access and transparency of spatial and territorial planning documents, and increasing the use of energy efficient and sustainable solutions in construction.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of the Code of Spatial Planning Urban Planning. The Code shall implement the simplification and harmonisation of the way spatial and general urban plans are reported, updated and transposed into the Geographic Information Systems as well as measures to increase energy efficiency and improve air quality, through binding construction standards in all administrative territorial units and in functional urban and rural areas. The Code shall equally include provisions in the updated urban planning documents aiming at a decreased commuting time and distance for population in functional urban and rural areas. A new data platform, as part of the Territorial Observatory, shall centralise standardised and digitalised maps and strategic documents that underlie the urban planning process and provide public access to all plans, as well as the most recent spatial and territorial planning documents.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The Code of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Construction shall enter into force by 31 December 2022 and an operational data platform allowing full digital access to spatial and territorial planning documents, as part of the Territorial Observatory, shall be operational by 30 June 2023.

Investment 2 Construction of housing for youth and for professionals in health and education

The objective of this investment is to increase access to quality housing for youngsters in need and professionals in healthcare and education providing such services in marginalised communities and to marginalised groups.

The investment shall consist of building new housing units for young people from vulnerable communities and groups in line with the provisions of the National Housing Strategy and the Action Plan and shall be accompanied by measures to foster social and economic integration of the targeted groups. Houses shall be equally built for health and educational professionals in urban and rural areas where marginalised communities and groups are living and shortages in providing healthcare and education services have been previously identified. The newly built houses shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 3 Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units

The objective of this investment is to improve the delivery of local public services. The investment finances moderate renovation of public buildings at the local level. It concerns only those public buildings in towns and communes which are intended for the provision of public services to citizens (e.g. town hall buildings, social services buildings). The investment shall consist of renovating 1 306 818 squared metres of surface in eligible public buildings. Renovation is expected to lead to a 30% reduction in primary energy demand, as demonstrated by energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 4 Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents

The objective of this investment is to increase digital access to spatial and urban planning documents.

The investment finances the development or the update of spatial planning and urban planning documents, including the sustainable urban mobility plans. All documentation shall be developed in digital format in accordance with the Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction and validated by the national supporting body. The documentation shall be uploaded on the Territorial Observatory platform.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

J.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
307	Reform 2. Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation — Romania’s Urban Policy	Milestone	Entry into force of the Metropolitan Areas Act	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Metropolitan Areas Act				Q2	2022	The Metropolitan Areas Act shall: -define criteria to delimit metropolitan areas and its policy competencies, namely: mobility, spatial planning, urban development, housing, and other public services delivered at local level addressing among other problems of marginal/peripheral communities, including informal settlements; -establish a coordinating body at the level of metropolitan area to steer and supervise the implementation of policies and investments in the administrative territorial units belonging to the metropolitan area, aiming at improving connectivity, spatial planning, the development of green infrastructure and access to employment, health services and education, including for people in deprived areas/ peripheries and also to ensure increased economic opportunities for settlements in peri-urban area around urban core, -ensure a transparent and predictable framework (including criteria, methodology) to constitute the budget of each metropolitan area, based on contributions from the administrative units composing the functional urban area and, when needed, from transfers from central government by national development programs, financed annually by the state budget, based on performance criteria linked with the policy objectives pursued at the level of each metropolitan area, allow for joint procurement for provision of goods and services at functional area level
308	Reform 2. Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation	Milestone	Entry into force of the Government Decision establishing the Romanian Urban Policy Framework	Provision in the Government Decision indicating the entry into force of the Romanian Urban Policy Framework				Q4	2022	The Government Decision shall: -define the roles and responsibilities of public authorities at national and local level to implement the Romanian Urban Policy -integrate the principles of sustainable development, including by enforcing nature-based solutions, into urban planning documents -operationalize key performance indicators derived from the priority objectives of the Romanian Urban Policy (i.e. improved mobility, improved spatial planning, improved housing conditions, local public services for marginalized/peripheral communities and access to public transport ) -establish a stable & predictable funding mechanism for the implementation of the urban policy -encourage local cooperation by stimulating sustainable urban development projects proposed at functional urban area level and aligned with Sustainable Integrated Urban Development Plans.
309	Reform 2. Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation	Target	Increase in quality of life in urban areas		Percentage (%)	30,7%	40%	Q2	2026	The target refers to increased quality of life in urban areas with a 10pps (i.e. increase in the percentage of person responding positively to the statement "I am satisfied to live in the city: total agree"), from Q2 2020 (as a baseline) to Q2 2026, measured using a methodology similar to the one used for the Quality of life in European cities survey . The survey shall be carried out using an external provider.
310	Reform 3. Creating the policy framework for sustainable rural transformation: establishing administrative consortia in functional rural areas		Entry into force of the legislative act amending the Administrative Code and establishing of administrative consortia in neighbouring rural or predominantly rural administrative territorial units, existing as functional rural areas.	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q4	2022	The changes to the Administrative Code shall establish administrative consortia in functional rural areas (as defined according to the Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology) that show some degree of economic and social integration, and/or face similar challenges and opportunities for their development (e.g., proximity to common natural resources, exposure to same structural shocks). The legislative changes shall: -Define the juridical regime and responsibilities of the administrative consortia established based on a functional rural area approach, in view of improving the efficiency of public social, education and healthcare services, as well as support for self-employed in agriculture (such as access to markets and increased cooperation), and the efficacy of implementing investments, that shall lead to improving territorial cohesion, integration of rural areas and sustainable capitalization of natural and cultural heritage. -Set-up a body corresponding to each administrative consortia that shall perform activities specific for more local public authorities and shall contribute to implement the strategic objectives of public authorities involved. The body shall manage the following types of public services: territorial and urban planning; public procurement; investments; managing the public and private domain; financial and accounting; juridical; social assistance; agricultural registry; civil registry; cadastre. -Ensure a transparent and predictable budget, made up of contributions from the administrative units composing the administrative consortia and transfers from central government based on transparent performance criteria linked with the policy objectives at the level of functional rural area -Make possible the full digital integration of the public services delivered by the administration units, of the consortia in view of delivering public services at a reduced time for citizens’ and entrepreneurs’, including through joint procurement for provision of goods and services, at functional rural area level.
311	Reform 3. Creating the policy framework for sustainable rural transformation: establishing administrative consortia in functional rural areas	Target	Decrease in poverty and social exclusion in rural areas		Percentage	45,4%	38%	Q2	2026	Decrease by at least 7,4pps the poverty and social exclusion rate in rural areas, as per the EUROSTAT indicator (ILC_PEPS13), using baseline figure at 2020 of 45,4%
312	Reform 4. Improving housing quality	Milestone	Entry into force of legislative act for the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and Action Plan to decrease severe housing deprivation	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act for the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and Action Plan to decrease severe housing deprivation				Q2	2022	The legislative act shall secure the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and Action Plan in view of improving housing quality for vulnerable categories and groups decreasing severe housing deprivation, especially for persons in marginalised communities in urban and rural areas. The Strategy and the Action Plan shall: -be accompanied by a mapping of housing needs especially in marginalized communities and groups, including informal settlements, in urban and rural areas (as per the updated version of the Atlas of Marginalized Communities) -ensure an approach that secures complementarity/matches the existing or future Integrated Community Centres investments (i.e. delivering education, social and basic healthcare services) funded under the ESF+ and the future Cohesion Policy funds. -ensure complementary access to education and healthcare services in marginalized communities (as identified in the updated version of the Atlas of Marginalized Communities) -not lead to social segregation -ensure the possibility to use metropolitan areas, administrative consortia and the intercommunity development associations for implementation of the investments.
313	Reform 4. Improving housing quality	Target	Reduced percentage of housing overcrowding		Percentage	45,1%	39%	Q2	2026	Reduced housing overcrowding rate by 6,1 pps as per Eurostat indicator (ILC_LVHO05A) using baseline figure at 2020 of 45,1%.
314	Reform 4. Improving housing quality	Target	Reduced percentage of population living in informal settlements		Percentage	0	20%	Q2	2026	The target shall aim to decrease the share of population living in informal settlements situated in functional urban areas and increase their integration in the communities. The number of persons living in informal settlements with poor or lack of housing facilities shall be established following the mapping process developed in accordance with the law on territorial and urban planning.
315	Reform 5. Development of the planning system — Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction	Milestone	Entry into force of the Code of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Construction	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Code of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Construction				Q1	2023	The Code of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Construction shall implement, inter alia: -the reduction of the administrative burden, reducing the deadlines for issuing administrative acts, as well as introducing new mechanisms to ensure more efficient, digitalized and quality administrative processes in construction, including planning structures at the level of functional urban areas -the updating and transposition into the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) of all spatial and general urban plans and alignment with the new principles of the Romanian Urban Policy (promoting sustainable transport and improving road safety, use of nature-based solutions/green and blue infrastructure) including at the level of functional urban and rural areas; -measures to increase energy efficiency and improvement of air quality, through binding construction standards in all administrative territorial units and functional urban and rural areas -Concrete provisions in the updated urban planning documents aiming at a decreased commuting time and distance for population in functional urban and rural areas (implementation of the “15-minute city” concept, i.e.: focus on increased access to relevant facilities). Elaboration and adoption of a guiding document/manual to facilitate the implementation of the new provisions of the Code.
316	Reform 5. Development of the planning system — Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction	Milestone	Entry into operation of the interoperable urban digital data platform (as part of the Territorial Observatory)	Entry into operation of the digital platform (as part of the Territorial Observatory)				Q2	2023	A standardised Data Platform shall be operationalised, as part of the Territorial Observatory, and allow: -Public access to the most recent spatial and territorial planning documents corresponding to all territorial administrative units in the country -the possibility for local public authorities to issue urban planning certificates, building permits, in an interoperable fashion with all relevant public authorities’ data bases (e.g. tax administration) and using the infrastructure available for the Government Cloud -delivery of real time data (such as data on urban regulations, all restrictions and allowed usage of land) to all interested parties, including the general public, in order to ensure transparency of issuing the planning certificates and building permits -dynamic management of urban planning (continuous update of data taking into account the changes made - for example changes of General Urban Plan indicators by Zonal Urban Plans) allowing administrative units, including at functional urban and rural area, to coordinate the implementation of policies such as energy, environmental, housing and transport, at local level.
317	Investment 2. Construction of housing for youth and for professionals in health and education	Milestone	Signature of all public contracts for building housing for young people coming from vulnerable communities and groups, and for health and education professionals in urban or rural areas	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The grant funding scheme shall be drawn up on the basis of the provisions of the National Housing Strategy and the Action Plan, aligned with the specifications of the milestone 312. The funding scheme shall be open for all Administrative Territorial Units/Metropolitan areas/Administrative Consortia and comply with the following mandatory specifications: A)The housing for youth shall be granted to Administrative Territorial Units/ Administrative consortia/ Metropolitan Areas based on an integrated action plan to improve the living conditions of youngsters in vulnerable communities and groups and their household, including measures to foster social and economic integration of the targeted groups. The young people benefitting shall satisfy cumulatively the condition of coming from a vulnerable community/group, aged between 18 and 35 years old, with an income per family member below the average monthly wage per economy, does not own a house/has not owned a house, currently living in overcrowded/poor housing conditions. The criteria would also take into account if the young people have one or more children in care/living in their household. B)The housing units for medical and education professionals shall be granted to Administrative Territorial Units/ Administrative consortia/ Metropolitan Areas based on an integrated action plan to improve medical or educational services for vulnerable communities and groups as identified by the mapping of needs especially in marginalized communities and groups. Equally, the investment shall be done in correlation with the investments in the Education, Health (e.g. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure aiming to increase the access to basic medical services) and to the Renovation Wave components of the national recovery and resilience plan, as well as with the Investment 3 of the current component (moderate renovation of public buildings), with the Operational Programmes (2014-2020 and 2021-2027) or other programmes.
318	Investment 2. Construction of housing for youth and for professionals in health and education	Target	Housing units built for young people coming from vulnerable communities / groups		Number	0	4 418	Q2	2026	Number of housing units for young people coming from vulnerable communities / groups, supported by complementary measures such as social/educational/labour market measures for all young people previously identified, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 317. New buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
319	Investment 2. Construction of housing for youth and for professionals in health and education	Target	Housing units built for professionals in health and education		Number	0	1 104	Q2	2026	Number of housing units built for professionals in health and education, in towns or rural areas where access to education and healthcare is insufficient due to lack of professionals, as identified in the milestone 317. New buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
320	Investment 3. Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the moderate renovation of public buildings	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for the moderate renovation of public buildings which, shall include inter alia the following conditions: -Only towns and communes are eligible -Only public buildings, the purpose of which is to deliver local public services (e.g. town hall buildings, social services buildings) are eligible -Moderate retrofitting projects shall lead to a 30% reduction in primary energy demand, to be demonstrated by energy performance certificates. In investments for the moderate renovation of public buildings, the non-energy efficiency system costs shall not exceed 10% of the total cost.
321	Investment 3. Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	Target	Surface in square metres of public buildings refurbished		Number of sqm	0	653 409	Q4	2024	The target covers the total built area to be moderately renovated expressed in square metres and demonstrated by a 30% reduction in primary energy demand by energy performance certificates.
322	Investment 3. Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	Target	Surface in square metres of public buildings refurbished		Number of sqm	653 409	1 306 818	Q2	2026	The target covers the total built area to be moderately renovated expressed in square metres and demonstrated by a 30% reduction in primary energy demand by energy performance certificates.
323	Investment 4. Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	Milestone	Signature of contracts for the development/updating of spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans documentation.	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	The scheme shall set out the criteria and conditions to be met for funding for the development/updating of spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans. The drafting/updating of documentation shall be developed in digital format in accordance with the provisions of milestone 288 and milestone 315. The SUMP shall be endorsed by the National Group on the optimisation of SUMP established in accordance with the provisions set in milestone 289 and the spatial and urban planning documentation shall be uploaded to the Territorial Observatory. Integration with the digital platform outlined in Milestone 316 shall be ensured.
324	Investment 4. Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	Target	Spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans finalised and taken over in the Territorial Observatory platform		Number	0	189	Q4	2024	The target covers the total number of spatial planning, urban planning and urban mobility plans that shall be developed digitally and adopted. 100 General Urban Plans documents, 39 Zonal Urban Plans documents and 50 Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. All documentation shall be published on the Territorial Observatory platform. The investment shall be performed in accordance with the requirements under Milestone 323.
325	Investment 4. Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	Target	Spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans finalised and taken over in the Territorial Observatory platform		Number	189	378	Q2	2026	The target covers the total number of spatial planning, urban planning and urban mobility plans that shall be developed digitally and adopted. 262 General Urban Plans documents shall be drawn up (180 for communes, 50 for towns, 22 for cities and 10 for county seat cities (including Bucharest); 5 Territorial Spatial Planning for Counties; 1 Territorial Zonal Planning documentation; 60 Zonal Urban Plans documentation; and 50 Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. All documentation shall be published on the Territorial Observatory platform. The investment shall be performed in accordance with the requirements under Milestone 323.

K.COMPONENT 11: Tourism and Culture

The objective of the Tourism and Culture component is to increase social, economic and territorial cohesion and to create new jobs especially in rural areas, namely:

(1)promoting sustainable socio-economic transformation in rural and disadvantaged areas by developing a network of Regional Destination Management Organisations and supporting local tourism investments;

(2)supporting sustainable mobility by creating a national Velo network including Eurovelo routes; and

(3)reducing the gap in access to culture between rural and large urban areas.

The reforms and investments shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendations conveyed to Romania in 2019 and 2020, on the need to “focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on sustainable transport, digital service infrastructure” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020) while “taking into account regional disparities” (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019).

K.1. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)

The objective of this reform is to increase the competitiveness of the Romanian tourism sector and promote sustainable socio-economic transformation in rural and disadvantaged areas by adopting the necessary framework for the operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations.

The implementation of this reform shall consist in adopting a legislative framework necessary for the functioning of the Destination Management Organisations and the development of an Action Plan dedicated to the valorisation of cultural heritage in order to increase the competitiveness of the Romanian tourism sector.

The establishment and operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations shall be based on the recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) included in the “Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations” study.

The legislative framework necessary for the operation of the Destination Management Organisations shall also include a detailed description of the financing mechanism and a clear governance model. The action plan shall be carried out in line with the set of measures proposed in the Destination Management Organisation Development Strategy and shall be in line with the results of the mapping activity.

The Destination Management Organisation shall be a legal entity carrying out the tourist development policy of each specific destination, including the destination marketing policy, in accordance with the legal provisions in force, bringing together a number of other organisations, such as: business operators, public sector institutions, professional and employers’ associations and regulatory bodies. Regional Destination Management Organisations shall be designed to form an effective network focusing on local competitive advantages and shall work in partnership with the national tourist authority.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes

The objective of this investment is to develop the attractiveness of selected tourist destinations by developing 12 thematic tourist routes in disadvantaged, rural areas of Romania and create new jobs in the tourism industry.

The implementation of this investment shall include financial support for the promotion of the 12 touristic routes and the modernisation/rehabilitation of tourist sites with national and international impact included in the 12 routes identified in the optimal destination areas. The 12 thematic routes are: Castles route, Curia route, ‘Cula’ route, The route of the traditional Romanian gastronomy, Route of fortified churches, Route of wooden churches, The route of the Moldova monasteries, Saint Ladislau's route, The route of the Roman castrum, Fortress route, Restoration of the cultural landscape in the Danube Delta, The route of villages with traditional architecture.

The specific touristic sites shall be at least 225 and be selected following the mapping of optimal destinations for each Destination Management Organisation, based on their capacity to attract international and national tourists and to promote sustainable/environmentally oriented socio-economic transformation in rural and disadvantaged areas.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2024.

Investment 2. Modernisation/creation of museums and memorials

The objective of this investment is to increase cultural tourism by the development of museums and memorials dedicated to oppression and conflict.

The implementation of this investment shall include the modernisation and creation of the following museums and memorial sites: National Museum of Jewish history and holocaust (Bucharest), Memorial of the 89 revolution (Timișoara), Memorial of the victims (Sighet), The prison of silence (Râmnicu Sărat), Memorial of forced displacement of people and over industrialization (Satu Mare), Museum of horrors of communism (Sfântu Gheorghe), Museum of photographic evidences (Târgu Mureș), Museum of Transilvanian identities (Mutra).

New buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured by means of energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 2. Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level

The objective of this reform is to contribute to economic development of small towns and rural areas by adopting a legislative, institutional and investment framework for cycling routes and sustainable forms of tourism.

The implementation of this reform shall consist of a regulatory reform to establish the relevant entities, the criteria for cycling routes and the incentives to promote cycling tourism.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 March 2022.

Investment 3. Establishment and operationalisation of the Velo National Coordination Centre

The objective of this investment is to contribute to sustainable mobility by promoting cycling via a new Velo National Coordination Centre.

The implementation of this investment shall include a study on cycle tourism routes at national level that shall form the basis for the digitalisation of Velo runways and routes and the development of a National eVelo Platform with an integrated digital application for all cycle tourism routes and a dedicated website.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Investment 4. Implementation of 3 000km of cycling routes

The objective of this investment is to develop sustainable transport by development of cycling routes infrastructure.

The implementation of this investment shall include the development of 3 000km of new national cycling routes across Romania. The location of the routes shall be as a priority along the main touristic routes.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 3. Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector

The objective of this reform is to create a stable, predictable and long-term sustainable legal and administrative framework for the non-public (private/independent) cultural sector and cultural workers by creating data collection tools for future public policies, and start a process that contributes to the socio-educational and cultural development of small rural and urban areas.

The implementation of this reform shall consist of the entry into force of legislation on the funding system for cultural projects and the support to workers in cultural sectors.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

Investment 5. Increasing access to culture in culturally deprived areas

The objective of this investment is to increase access to culture in culturally disadvantaged municipalities.

The implementation of this investment shall include a pilot funding programme in partnership with local authorities to support annual or multiannual cultural programmes implemented at local level and a pilot programme to finance cultural education projects, the beneficiaries of which will be educational establishments in rural areas and small towns.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment 6. Development of digital system for cultural funding processes

The objective of this investment is to develop a digital system for the award of public funding in cultural sectors.

The implementation of this investment shall include the development of a digital system that facilitates access to finance for national cultural operators through simplified and digitalised applications; registers all public cultural subsidies already awarded in order to prevent double funding and collects data on cultural expenditure at the level of municipalities to enable an evidence-based decision to be taken in the field of cultural policy while allowing transparent access to non-confidential information on cultural projects.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment 7. Accelerating the digitalisation of film production and distribution

The objective of this investment is to strengthen the capacity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in film production and accelerate the digital transition of film producers and distributors in Romania by increasing digital production, distribution, marketing and promotion capacities, including digital archiving technologies.

The implementation of this investment shall include content development and the business capacity increase of film producers and distributors, combining project financing and financing of the entity.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2025.

K.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
326	Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	Milestone	All the optimum destination areas for regional Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in Romania mapped	All the optimum destination areas for regional DMOs in Romania published				Q1	2022	The optimum destination areas shall be identified by the Destination Management Organisations based on the following criteria: - their capacity to attract international tourists - promotion of socio-economic sustainable/ environmentally friendly transformation in rural and disadvantaged areas, in complementarity with the Local Fund component (e.g. regarding the functional rural areas); - potential for creation of new jobs.
327	Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	Milestone	Action plan for the use of cultural heritage to increase the competitiveness of the Romanian tourism sector	Adoption of the Action Plan for the use of cultural heritage to increase the competitiveness of Romanian tourism sector				Q1	2022	The Action Plan shall be compliant with DMO multiple touristic packages. The Action Plan shall cover the period 2022-2026 and include specific annual and multiannual objectives and the following main actions: a) establishing the types of sites, with a national and international impact, that shall be used for the promotion of tourism in Romania and shall contribute to the promotion of socio-economic sustainable/ environmentally friendly transformation in rural and disadvantaged areas; and b) establishing the cultural routes that are the result of the mapping exercise. It shall also detail the main actors, their roles and responsibilities and the expected results.
328	Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework by Government Decision which shall include a clear description of the financing mechanism to support the development of the network of DMOs and a clear governance model	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law for establishment of DMOs				Q3	2022	The legislation shall include a clear description of the financing mechanism to support the development of the network of regional and local DMOs (Destination Management Organisations) and a solid governance model. Key elements of the legal framework shall be: -Aim of the legislation, definition of DMOs on different territorial levels as well as the themed DMOs; -Identification of Members; -Minimum criteria for a destination to be eligible to form a DMO to represent the destination; -Form of organization – the DMO shall have a general assembly, a board of directors and the staff who shall represent the executive part. DMOs shall be registered with statutory provisions, to have a strategy and action plan, to have the funds to implement the strategy. In terms of members, the DMO shall be a representative body of the economic operators in the tourism field in the destination, of the tourism associations, and other relevant stakeholders and local or county level public authorities -Description of the attributions of the board of directors and general assembly; -Voting system and decision-making process; -Financing mechanism; -Objectives of DMOs and monitoring of results with specific accountabilities. A DMO shall be established taking into consideration geographic units (counties, municipalities) with the objective of promoting local or regional tourism.
329	Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	Target	DMOs established		Number	0	8	Q4	2023	8 Destination Management Organisations shall be established by the Government (in line with milestone 328) including all relevant entities active in the tourism and culture in a specific area, and governed by the DMO’s Executive Committee. The responsibility of the results of the Destination Management Organisations is shared by the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism and Executive Committee of DMOs The establishment and operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations shall be based on the recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) included in the “Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations” study.
330	Reform 1. Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	Target	Increased share of foreign tourists attracted in the counties that are part of the regional DMOs		Percentage (%)	0	20	Q1	2026	The number of foreign tourists shall increase by at least 20% by end of 2025, compared to 2019, in the counties that are part of the regional DMOs. Source of data: National Statistics Institute and data collected by The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
331	Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	Target	Sites that shall be included in the cultural routes		Number	0	225	Q1	2022	At least 225 sites shall be included in the cultural routes and shall be chosen based on the mapping and being positioned mainly in rural and disadvantaged areas to attract tourists and create new workplaces in the tourism industry. The “sites” are the tourism attraction points (such as castles, fortifications, monasteries, traditional houses) that shall be included in the 12 cultural routes and shall be chosen by a committee and shall be based on a consultation process. The minimal selection criteria are: a) territorial, economic and social criteria including growth, jobs with focused on less developed regions; b) the capacity of the project to generate an impact on the attractiveness of tourism and the increase of cultural participation, the unique character at national level, comparative and competitive advantages. c) inclusion of sites related to the theme of the routes previously funded within the Regional Operational Programme and National Programme for Rural Development d) inclusion of sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List or on the temporary or indicative list, e) inclusion of sites in the category of historic buildings that are not considered historical monuments. Only those sites that currently provide access for tourists shall be included in the cultural routes.
332	Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	Milestone	Signature of the contracts for the promotion of the 12 routes	Signature of contracts				Q3	2022	Signature of contracts for the tourism development in every cultural route. The following activities shall be included: - Digitization of the sites included in the route - Creating an app dedicated to visitors - Marking and signalling the route/sites included in the route; - Creating a joint cultural offer
333	Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	Milestone	Opening of the 12 cultural routes	Opening of the 12 cultural routes accessible for tourists.				Q1	2024	The sites shall be opened for the public and the routes shall become functional in accordance with the contracts in milestone 331. The sites where restoration works shall be carried out shall be open just partially, until the restoration is finished.
334	Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	Milestone	Signature of the contracts for the restoration/ renovation works for the sites included in the 12 cultural routes	Signature of contracts				Q1	2023	Signature of contracts for the renovation works of the buildings (castles, churches, fortresses) included in the 12 cultural routes. For the sites that are part of the 12 cultural routes restoration works, the following shall be included: -restoration of the buildings, creating where necessary access road, visitor reception. -setting up of access roads are minimal interventions works that allow at least pedestrian access. No asphalting works shall be included. Selected projects should have at least the prefeasibility studies finalized, and the feasibility study and all relevant documents finalized before signing the execution contracts For the museum and memorial chain dedicated to oppression and conflict contracts shall include restoration works for the buildings, visitor centres, digitisation. The following museums and memorials are included: -National Museum of Jewish history and holocaust, Bucharest -Memorial of the 89 Revolution, Timișoara Memorial of the victims, Sighet -The prison of silence, Râmnicu SăratMemorial of forced displacement of people and over industrialization, Satu Mare -Museum of horrors of communism, Sfântu Gheorghe -Museum of photographic evidences, Târgu Mureș (presenting in digital format all the archives available including the ones related to conflicts and totalitarian regimes) -Museum of Transilvanian identities (Mutra) The contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state and ensuring compliance with the “do no significant harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). The contracts will be based on the open tender procedures, and will contain the following elements: -the list of activities to be carried out in relation to the site development (restoration, visitor access, and all the activities described in the main document) -deadlines for the completion of the works --clear financing mechanism --technical requirements and standards The list of activities and all the elements of each of the work contracts will be established based on the description of the interventions (presented in the main document) in the procurement documentation, depending on the specifics of the works. These elements will be described in the public procurement documents.
335	Investment 1. Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	Target	Newly restored sites opened		Number	0	225	Q2	2026	225 restored sites shall be opened to the tourists. From the 12 cultural routes, the following sites shall be restored (enabling them to be fully accessible to tourists and the public): -5 castles -5 curia -10 wooden churches -5 “cula” (Romanian nobleman dwellings) -5 Moldova monasteries -5 churches/sites on the route of Saint Ladislaus -5 Roman castra -5 fortresses -30 traditional houses in the Danube Delta -150 traditional rural houses
336	Investment 2. Modernisation/creation of museums and memorials	Milestone	Signature of the contracts for the building works of the museums	Signature of contracts				Q1	2023	Signature of contracts for the construction works of the new museums dedicated to oppression and conflict. The sites shall be chosen based on their symbolic value and association to the totalitarian regimes (places that are landmarks for interethnic conflicts and development of good intercultural relations). The award of contracts shall be carried out based on an open and competitive tender procedure, and shall respect the NZEB building procedures. New buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured by means of energy performance certificates. The new museums are as follows: 1.MUTRA – Museum of Transylvanian Identities and Conflicts to be built in the outskirts of Cluj-Napoca. Digitalization of all values and procurement of museum equipment shall be part of the development. 2.Rapa Robilor, a memorial place for the people imprisoned in Aiud, Alba County. As part of this project, a visitor centre shall also be built on the site.
337	Investment 2. Modernisation/creation of museums and memorials	Target	Newly built and renovated museums opened		Number	0	9	Q2	2026	9 newly built museums and memorials shall be opened for the public: -2 museums – new construction -7 museums – restoration, renovation, modernization.
338	Reform 2. Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	Milestone	Entry into force of the regulatory framework on cycling tourism	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the regulatory framework on cycling tourism				Q1	2022	The regulatory framework (Government Decisions) for the operationalisation of cycling routes shall include the following elements: - establishment of the institutions responsible for the operationalisation and monitoring of cycling tourism infrastructure (including the National Coordination Centre for cycling routes) - establishment of typologies and characteristics of cycling routes; - regulatory incentives for the use of cycling tourism.
339	Reform 2. Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	Milestone	National Coordination Centre Velo Routes established and operational	Adoption of the Government decision for the establishment of the National Coordination Centre for cycling routes				Q2	2022	The National Coordination Centre (NCC) for Velo Routes shall be established in the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration. The NCC shall become operational and shall start elaboration of the study and the eVelo application.
340	Reform 2. Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	Milestone	Comprehensive study on the territorial distribution of national cycling routes	Published study				Q3	2022	The in-depth study shall establish the territorial distribution of the cycle tourism pathways (3 000km of cycling routes) based on key criteria (e.g. reduction of congestion, promotion of eco-tourism) identify relevant actors and integrate existing initiatives to enhance the natural and cultural heritage, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 338. Based on the study results, shall be launched the procurement process for putting into place the cycling pathways.
341	Investment 3. Establishment and operationalisation of the Velo National Coordination Centre	Milestone	Integrated National eVelo Platform and smartphone application	Development and publication of the platform and application				Q3	2022	Development and publication of an integrated digital application for the provision of thematic information related to cycling tourism. The integrated application includes the establishment of the eVelo National Platform (a website for the national cycling routes), and a thematic smartphone application, in accordance with the requirements under milestone 340.
342	Investment 4. Implementation of 3 000km of cycling routes	Milestone	Signature of the contracts for cycling routes	Signature of contracts				Q4	2022	Signature of contracts for the construction of 3 000km of new cycling routes, following open and competitive tender process. The tender process shall start by the publication of the financing scheme that shall establish the eligibility, criteria and the conditions for awarding the contracts. The financial scheme shall be developed by the National Coordination Centre for for Velo Routes. Following the completion of the tendering process, the works shall start on the 3 000km of cycling routes.
343	Investment 4. Implementation of 3 000km of cycling routes	Target	Kilometres of cycling routes built and accessible for cycling		Kilometres (km)	0	3 000	Q2	2026	At least 3 000km of newly built and accessible cycling routes in locations defined based on the outcome of the study.
344	Reform 3. Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector	Milestone	Entry into force of the law on the funding system for the cultural sector	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework for financing the cultural sector				Q3	2022	The milestone focuses on ensuring a stable system of funding for cultural projects. The updated law shall set out a stable financing mechanism from the state budget for the cultural sector focusing on: reducing the gap in access to culture between the rural/small-towns areas and big urban areas, supporting cultural diversity and social inclusion and gender equality, supporting the creative industries, increasing the economic potential of the cultural sector. The laws which shall be approved and enter into force are: -The legislative framework on non-reimbursable funding in culture (Government Ordinance 51/1998); - The funding in the audio-visual field in line with Community guidelines. The legislative changes will be based, inter alia, on the results provided by the mapping of public and private offers of cultural services at national and local level, on identifying and providing additional predictable and transparent sources of funding, a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level; a funding disbursement mechanism conditional to the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives.
345	Reform 3. Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector	Milestone	Entry into force of the law on the statute of cultural workers	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework for the statute of the cultural workers				Q1	2023	A new legislative framework on the statute of cultural workers shall enter into force and include a wide range of policies and propose concrete measures that address the specific challenges artists face and are meant to protect the artists, such as: -a clear definition of employment in ‘artistic work’ and ‘cultural work’ as defined across Member States and EU documents; -minimum standards and requirements within the scope of the legislative and social protection frameworks (e.g. working conditions, taxation and access to social security and other benefits, fair remuneration); -provisions in the social protection systems to allow cultural workers to access benefits, such as unemployment, health protection, bank loans, financing, pension. -tools for the (legal) identification of the freelancer cultural artist (artists and related professions) and for creating the mechanisms of inclusion in the social protection system. -other methods for improving the socio-professional status and conditions of the cultural worker.
346	Investment 5. Increasing access to culture in culturally deprived areas	Milestone	Signature of the financing contracts	Signature of contracts				Q1	2023	Contracts are to be signed between cultural operators and the public funding body, in order to set the legal framework for the spending of the support to access culture in rural and small-town areas with little to no public cultural services, through cultural projects. Contracts shall be awarded by the National Cultural Fund Administration, following open and competitive tender procedure. Selection criteria for awarding contracts: Number/Types of beneficiaries/participants, educational benefits in short, medium and long run, educational targets (history, geography, logic etc), artistic/ creativity criteria, ecological/ bio-diversity/ nature/ environmental criteria, inclusion criteria.
347	Investment 5. Increasing access to culture in culturally deprived areas	Target	Small localities with increased access to culture		Number	0	50	Q2	2024	50 localities with population under 50 000 inhabitants shall benefit from the implementation of two pilot financing programs that shall see cultural and/or cultural ducation projects developed
348	Investment 6. Development of a digital system for cultural funding processes	Milestone	Digital system operationalised	Platforms and digital systems operationalised				Q3	2023	This milestone refers to the development of digital systems that shall: - facilitate access to funding for national cultural operators through simplified and digitized funding applications, project assessment, contracting, monitoring & evaluation, funding disbursement, ex-post assessment; - register all public cultural grants already awarded in view of preventing double funding; - be used as a data gathering instrument related to cultural spending at the level of all and any locality and region, on cultural costs per type of projects and allow for evidence-based decision in the cultural policy area; - allow transparent access to non-confidential projects, information for project promotors and the larger public.
349	Investment 7. Accelerating the digitisation of film production and distribution	Milestone	Signature of the financing contracts	Signature of contracts				Q3	2023	Contracts with production and distribution companies, following open and competitive tenders and the administrative checks, including the conditions for the de minimis aid shall be signed. Funding shall be conditioned by attracting /retaining a minimum number of employees specialized in digital fields. Eligible activities include the development of editing / post-production capabilities for digital products, the creation of VoD microplatforms, marketing, and digitization (procurement of IT equipment - video editing, digital subtitling, digital archiving), development and distribution of audio-visual cultural content, training of staff to obtain digital skills. The investment to be supported also involves support for the production and distribution of digital content.
350	Investment 7. Accelerating the digitisation of film production and distribution	Target	Film producers and distributors with increased digital competences		Number	0	40	Q1	2025	40 micro, small, medium-sized enterprises and other legal persons active in the field film production and distribution that have developed digital content, acquired digital skills capacity for editing and post-production for digital products.

L.COMPONENT 12: Healthcare

The Healthcare component of the Recovery and Resilience Plan shall consist of three reforms and two investments addressing key challenges in the health system. The main ones are a reduction in the rate of avoidable mortality, a reduction in regional, social and rural-urban disparities in access to basic health services, an increase in access to quality health services, the improvement of hospital and prehospital infrastructure, and the optimisation of the heath care expenditures and the management of resources.

The component shall contribute to addressing Romania’s country-specific recommendation on improving access to and cost-efficiency of healthcare, including through the shift to outpatient care (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019). It also addresses the recommendation on strengthening the resilience of the health system, including in the areas of health workers and medical products, and improve access to health services (country-specific recommendation 1, 2020).

L.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Increased capacity for the management of public health funds

The objective of this reform is to increase the efficiency of public health spending by implementing a series of legislative changes and by piloting a grants scheme for rewarding the most performant healthcare providers based on objective and measurable criteria.

This reform consists of two parts. The first one shall be implemented by carrying out a pilot programme directed towards stimulating the improvement of the quality and cost-effectiveness of health services by creating, piloting and implementing those financial mechanisms that reward the performance of healthcare providers (through the “Health Service Quality Fund”). For this purpose, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with national agencies and bodies, and benefiting from external expertise, shall develop health service quality indicators, performance-based payment models and digital tools to collect and monitor indicators, shall put in place the necessary legislative framework, shall assess the quality reports, and shall make the payments according to the models developed and the results of the assessments. As such, in order to boost the quality of healthcare services, payments (rewards) disbursed from the “Health Service Quality Fund” shall be granted to the providers with highest quality indicators. The scheme shall cover hospitals, in the first phase, and shall then be extended to other levels of the healthcare system: outpatients and primary care providers, with the view of scaling it across all types of healthcare providers, after the end of pilot programme. The second sub-reform shall consist of the development of a new model framework contract governing the conditions for the provision of healthcare and its implementing rules. The expected effect of these reform is to reduce the overall proportion of the population reporting unmet medical needs.

This reform shall also be dedicated to information and publicity services, including for awareness campaigns, which are related to press releases published in the written and online press, information and publicity materials on the activities and results obtained, online promotion (on the website and on social media channels). The materials communicated shall be elaborated and promoted throughout the implementation of the reform, reporting on the process, including, among others, the adoption of the legislative framework, the main results of the pilot project, the roll out of the scheme to public hospitals, and the extension of the programme to outpatients and primary care providers. Public reporting is a well-established method to promote the quality-based model of providing healthcare.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 2. Increased capacity to undertake investments in health infrastructure

The reform aims to increase the administrative capacity of central and local authorities to manage efficiently health infrastructure projects by setting up and rendering operational the National Agency for Development of Health Infrastructure (ANDIS), as a public institution with legal personality and subordinated to the Ministry of Health. At its full institutional capacity, ANDIS shall be able to manage major public health infrastructure projects, as well as to provide technical expertise at the request of local authorities.

The implementation of the reform shall consist of the establishment of ANDIS, its endowment with a headquarters and staff (including the appointment of a President and a Governing Board), staff training activities and consultancy and technical assistance for the projects falling under ANDIS’ portfolio.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health

The reform shall encompass three sub-reforms.

R.3.1 The reform of the health service management

The objective of this sub-reform is to improve the knowledge, skills and competences of the human resources in the management of health services, at all levels of the Romanian health system.

The sub-reform shall be implemented through a legislative change of the main law governing the health sector (Law No. 95 of 2006). A number of Government Decisions shall be adopted in order to uphold the changes in this law. Subsequently, a centre of excellence in the field of health services management shall become operational and accredited training programmes for the concerned human resources in management (which include members of the hospital steering committees, heads of sections, heads of laboratories in health facilities, executive directors, chief doctors, managers) shall be carried out in collaboration with those academic institutions with a leading portfolio in the field of training and development of human resources responsible for the management of health services. Throughout the implementation period of the reform, the Ministry of Health is expected to benefit from technical assistance and consultancy provided by experts.

The implementation of the sub-reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

R.3.2 The development of human resources in the area of healthcare

The objective of this sub-reform is to strengthen the capacity of the Romanian health system to educate, recruit, retain and motivate a workforce ready to respond to the current and future health needs of the population.

The sub-reform shall consist of developing a new strategic framework as well as adjusting the legislation regulating the development of human resources in health, and the differentiated recognition of professional merits and rewards of health professionals. Within the same reform are included the construction and equipment of two centres for the development of abilities and activities related to the training of 1000 staff working in public health facilities providing primary, community and outpatient care, hospitals and other public health facilities. After 2026, training of health care professionals shall continue to be financed by the state budget.

The implementation of the sub-reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

R.3.3 Increasing integrity, reducing vulnerabilities and risks of corruption in the health system

The objective of this sub-reform is to improve the definition and regulation of conflict of interest in the Romanian health system and to empower the staff to prevent circumstances that may lead to situations of corruption and/or conflict of interest.

The sub-reform shall consist of implementing a new mechanism to prioritise budget allocations made by the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) and of providing training on integrity for 3 000 staff working in health-related areas in the central administration, devolved institutions, management of healthcare units, and staff providing direct care to patients.

This reform shall also be dedicated to information and publicity services, including for awareness campaigns, which are related to press releases published in the written and online press, information and publicity materials on the activities and results obtained, online promotion (on the website and on social media channels). The materials communicated shall be elaborated and promoted throughout the implementation of the reform, reporting on the process and on the main progress achieved, such as the adoption of the legislative framework, the completion and operationalisation of the centre of excellence, the rollout of the training programmes, the construction and equipment of two centres for development of abilities.

The implementation of the sub-reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure

The objective of this investment is to improve the access for people in rural disadvantaged and marginalized areas to basic health care, including prevention and early diagnosis and treatment services, as well as to increase the complexity of health services in primary, outpatient and community care. The investment shall include the following five sub-investments. The marginalized regions/municipalities are those without or with a limited access to primary health care. The classification of marginalized regions or municipalities was carried out by a World Bank team based on the analysis of the degree of deprivation in terms of human capital, formal employment and inadequate living conditions, the risk of poverty and social exclusion and reduced access to services, health and the provision of other fundamental rights for which access is limited or non-existent.

The criteria of marginalization and the degree of marginalization are established at regional level according to the methodologies for calculating the local human development index and the development index presented in the Atlas of marginalized rural areas and local human development in Romania, in the Atlas of marginalized urban areas in Romania and in the Substantiation Study for the National Strategy on Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction - according to the World Bank.

I.1.1 Practices of family doctors or associations of primary care practices

The sub-investment shall consist of the renovation or equipping of at least 3 000 associations of practices or practices of family doctors. This shall be carried on the basis of an open call and through a centralized procurement system.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

I.1.2 Mobile medical units

The sub-investment shall consist of the acquisition of 10 medical caravans equipped with medical devices allowing to perform breast and cervical cancer screening activities in areas with limited access to specialised healthcare services. It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, the caravans to be purchased shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

I.1.3 Outpatient care units

The investment shall consist of the rehabilitation, modernisation, extension (including through construction of new buildings) of at least 30 outpatient care units. The selection shall also take into account the list of projects which are on the reserve list of the call for projects in the Regional Operational Programme (2014-2020) and other projects according to their level of maturity. At least 20 outpatient care units shall be located in less developed regions or municipalities (defined as those regions/municipalities where the GDP/capita < 75% of EU-27 average).

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

I.1.4 Integrated community centres

The sub-investment shall consist of the building/renovation of 200 integrated community centres (integrated community centres are part of the body of community healthcare programmes run by the Ministry of Health, with the main aim of increasing access to quality medical services for the population and particularly for the vulnerable groups), as well as fully equipping them, in accordance with the minimum requirements laid down in Government Decision No 324/2019. Infrastructure and/or buildings shall comply with energy efficiency criteria. The new buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured by means of energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

I.1.5 Family planning offices

The investment shall consist of the rehabilitation or equipment of 119 family planning practices with points of care diagnostics for sexually transmitted diseases, ultrasound scanner with ultraportable gynaecological probes, microscope, IT equipment, refrigerator, transportation vehicles (electric or bicycles). The investment shall also cover the cost of training of the medical personnel working in family planning cabinets.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 2. Development of public hospital infrastructure

The objective of this investment is to increase patient safety in healthcare facilities, by interventions ensuring fire, structural building, and seismic safety, as well as improving energy performance and preventing healthcare-associated infections. The investment shall include the following four sub-investments and at least EUR 70 million of this investment shall be allocated to IT equipment.

I.2.1 New public hospital infrastructure

The sub-investment consists of partially financing the building of 25 new hospitals or hospital units. Out of the 25 new hospitals or hospital units, 19 buildings shall comply with the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines and 6 shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

I.2.2 Medical equipment and devices

The sub-investment consists of equipping the newly built hospitals or hospital units with medical devices (such as equipment for specific and general departments for surgery ward, treatment room, isolation rooms, including for infectious diseases and burnt units, patient rooms, nursing stations, medical staff facilities, medication rooms, clean preparation rooms, ICU rooms, CCU isolation rooms, rehabilitation facilities, waste and storage management, emergency and resuscitation facilities) and medical equipment (such as: beds, decontamination units, IT equipment, crash carts, defibrillators, infusion pumps, physiologic monitoring systems, including central console, physiologic monitoring systems for acute care, ventilators for intensive care units, general purpose scanning systems).

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

I.2.3 Intensive care facilities for new-borns

The sub-investment shall consist of the modernization, extension and provision of new equipment for 25 neonatal intensive care units for the critical patient for early diagnosis, prenatal, neonatal and postnatal treatment. Specifically, the sub-investment shall cover the capacity extension of hospital infrastructure dedicated to neonatal critical patients with 124 additional beds (including related infrastructure and equipment), the equipment of 90 existing beds with adequate medical devices, as well as improving the screening programme by equipping the existing infrastructure with relevant medical devices, the acquisition of 12 mobile neonatal intensive care units and the building and equipping of 8 regional training centres for critical neonatal patients.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

I.2.4 Equipment and materials to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections

The sub-investment shall consist in equipping at least 25 public hospitals with equipment for the microbiological air control in the operating blocks and intensive care units through specific air-conditioning facilities, as well as facilities for the disinfection of medical personnel.

The implementation of the sub-investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

L.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter	Year
351	Reform 1. Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	Milestone	Entry into force of the ministerial order for the performance and quality indicators to be used for the selection of the medical units benefiting from the Health Quality Fund	Provision in the ministerial order indicating the entry into force of the ministerial order adopting the set of quality of care indicators and the necessary methodology for the selection of beneficiary medical facilities				Q4	2022	The Ministry of Health shall develop and adopt a set of process indicators, outcome indicators and patient-specific indicators to be used for the evaluation of healthcare providers as well as the methodology for performance-based selection of recipient establishments. The set of indicators shall include indicators such as: the proportion of patients with adverse events, improvement in pain scale (Visual Analogue Scale score), hospital acquired infections rate, quality information available to patients.
352	Reform 1. Increased capacity for management of public health funds	Milestone	Entry into force of the Government Decision for a new model framework contract governing the conditions for granting medical assistance, medicines and medical devices, assistive devices and technologies within the framework of the health insurance system	Provision in the Government Decision indicating the entry into force of the Government Decision and of the Joint Order of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House				Q2	2023	The new framework contract shall aim to: -Improve the management of the National Health Insurance Fund -Increase outpatient care services to reduce pressure on the hospital system -Promote the provision of preventive and early diagnosis services, notably at the level of primary care -Facilitate remote services by medical service providers -Reduce the rural-urban divide in terms of access to medical care by creating incentives for family/specialist doctors to provide services in remote and underserved areas. -Extend the coverage of the services of primary, specialized and community care to include prevention and early diagnosis services The main changes concern contracting procedures and conditions with service providers, financing mechanisms and bundles of services for insured and uninsured persons.
353	Reform 1. Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative amendment required to include budget spending review outcomes in the budgetary process	The budgetary process takes into account the outcomes of the spending review in the area of health completed in 2023 by the Ministry of Finance.				Q1	2024	The Ministry of Health shall implement in its budgetary process the outcome of the spending review in the area of health carried out by the Ministry of Finance. This shall be done starting with the year after the completion of the spending review.
354	Reform 1. Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	Target	Improving the accessibility of healthcare by reducing the percentage of persons reporting unmet medical needs		Percentage	4,9	4,2	Q2	2026	Unmet need for medical examination and care may be due to (1) financial reasons, (2) waiting lists and (3) the need to travel too far. The Eurostat indicator estimating the level of accessibility to health care services takes into account all three reasons. Medical care refers to individual healthcare services (medical examination or treatment excluding dental care) provided by or under direct supervision of medical doctors or equivalent professions according to national healthcare systems. Data are collected from the European Statistics of Income and Living Condition survey and refer to such needs during the previous 12 months. By improving the access to healthcare, the percentage of persons reporting unmet medical needs is expected to decline from 4,9% in 2019 (baseline) to 4,2% in Q2 2026.
355	Reform 2. Increased capacity to undertake investments in health infrastructure	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework establishing the National Agency for Infrastructure Development in Health (ANDIS)	Entry into force of the legislative framework establishing the National Agency for Infrastructure Development in Health (ANDIS)				Q2	2022	The legislative framework shall set out the following functions for the Agency: —Preparing and implementing priority public health infrastructure investment projects in a timely manner, in accordance with the specifications and within the framework of the approved budget; —Issuing instructions, recommendations and applicable methodological standards for the preparation, implementation and completion of public health infrastructure investment projects; -Providing specialised assistance in the field of investment projects in public health infrastructure to ministries, public hospitals or to other public authorities; -Establishing and implementing the multiannual programme of priority investment projects in public health infrastructure; -Monitoring the implementation of public health infrastructure investment projects; -Setting-up a centre of excellence in the management of public health infrastructure investment projects; -Establishing partnerships and concluding financing agreements for investment projects in public health infrastructure. The president of ANDIS shall be appointed and the recruitment of staff for the 15 key roles in the finalised ANDIS organisation chart shall be completed by the time the agency becomes operational.
356	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative framework for the increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Entry into force of the legislative framework for the reform of the management of health service and of human resources				Q2	2022	The amendments target the main law governing the health sector (Law No. 95 of 2006, as amended). Additionally, a number of Government Decisions shall be enter into force in order to operationalize the changes in this law. The main provisions of the newly introduced pieces of legislation shall: - adjust the competence criteria for enrolment in competitions for health management positions; - adjust the quality criteria for health service management training programmes; - update the requirements for the continuous professional development of health professionals; - develop and reinforce the body of health service management experts; - develop the auditing and evaluation of health service management training programmes. The newly adopted legislation shall help professionalise the management of health services by developing competence criteria for specialist staff.
357	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Entry into force of legislation for the strategic framework for the development of human resources in health	Entry into force of the legislation for the strategic framework for the development of human resources in health by Government Decision				Q2	2022	The law shall set out a new strategic framework for the development of human resources in health, in line with the overall objectives of the health system. The key elements on the strategic framework shall be: (i) human resources in health - sourcing (ii) management of human resources in health, (iii) motivation management for human resources (iv) health workforce governance
358	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Development of human resources in health	Adoption of the sectorial action plans for the development of human resources in health by order of the Minister of Health				Q4	2022	The sectorial action plans for the development of human resources in primary and community healthcare, ambulatory and hospital care and public health shall operationalise the strategic framework to transform the level of knowledge, skills and competences of the human resource in health. A number of 5 individualised action plans shall be developed, and the areas covered include initial training, continuous professional development, skill mix, task sharing, task shifting. The action plans are expected to be in line with the performance indicators established for the management of public health funds set out in Reform 1. The medical staff covered includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, midwives, and community nurses, and other categories of health professionals.
359	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Entry into force of an order of the Minister of Health setting up a framework of differentiated recognition of professional merits and reward of health professionals	Provision in the Minister of Health’s order indicating the entry into force of a framework of differentiated recognition of professional merits and reward of health professionals				Q4	2023	The ministerial order shall ensure the development and implementation of a coherent framework of differentiated recognition of professional merits and their respective reward, based on performance-linked indicators which include, among others, complication rates, mortality rates, and patient’s satisfaction levels. The categories covered include medical staff in hospitals and outpatient care.
360	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Target	Building and fully equipping 2 new skill development centres for public healthcare staff			0	2	Q2	2024	Two newly built and fully equipped skill development centres, dedicated to staff working in public healthcare establishments, to become operational.
361	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Target	Persons having participated in training on health service management		Number	0	1 000	Q2	2025	1000 hospital staff members (such as: managers, members of management committees, heads of section/laboratory/pharmacy, managers of county public health directorates and county health insurance offices, family doctors managing individual/grouped practices) shall receive training. Priority shall be given to professionals working in remote and rural areas. Trainings shall include, but are not limited to, health service management, health systems organisation and funding, health policies, human resources policies, health communication, quality management of health services, health legislation, digitalisation and innovation in health. The trainings shall be conducted in the two newly built centres for skill development
362	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Target	Persons having participated in trainings on human resources management in health institutions		Number	0	1 000	Q2	2025	The categories concerned include staff from the human resources structures of hospitals, county public health directorates and other health service institutions. Trainings shall include but are not limited to recruitment and selection of human resources, financial and non-financial mechanisms to stimulate medical staff, motivation of medical staff.
363	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Target	Health professionals having participated in integrity training programmes		Number	150	3 000	Q2	2025	3000 staff working in health-related areas in the central administration, devolved institutions, management of healthcare units, and staff providing direct care to patients shall be trained in various integrity related topics (such as: prevention of corruption and addressing conflict of interest in the health care system, protection of whistle blowers, transparency in health care procurement). The training programme should be developed in line with the performance indicators established for the management of public health funds set out in Reform 1.
364	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Entry into force of the joint order of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) for a mechanism to prioritise budget allocations made by the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS)	Provision in the joint order of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) indicating the entry into force of the budget prioritization mechanism				Q4	2023	Entry into force of the budget prioritization mechanism which shall include: -the rationale and development of prioritisation criteria -the collaboration mechanisms between the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) collaboration mechanisms for the implementation of the mechanism -the mechanisms through which the budget prioritization criteria shall inform policy decisions, the evaluation of policies and the continuous adjustment of the criteria.
365	Reform 3. Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	Milestone	Operationalisation of the transparenta.ms.ro portal on the use of public resources	Publication of data on transparenta.ms.ro portal regarding the use of public resources in health				Q4	2024	The use of public resources shall be made more transparent through the centralized aggregation of data on the portal transparenta.ms.ro. The data included shall refer to the use of resources at the level of central and local institutions, as well as at hospital level. More specifically, the data to be published shall include the list of firms having been awarded public contracts, the contracting authorities, and a map of awarded contracts.
366	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Milestone	Adoption of criteria for prioritising investments in integrated community centres	Adoption of the Manual of Integrated Community Centres, including guidelines for the prioritization of investments in integrated community centres through an order of the Minister of Health.				Q4	2021	The Integrated Community Centres shall benefit from investments based on methodological priority guidelines to be developed by the Ministry of Health in consultation with representatives of the local public authorities. These priority guidelines shall be an integral part of the Manual of Integrated Community Centres. The prioritisation of administrative territorial units shall consider: - the number of vulnerable people per community (minimum 500 medically, socially or economically vulnerable people) - the availability of association with other vulnerable localities - the existence of a community nurse and a social worker/ social assistance technician - administrative territorial units without a family doctor or with insufficient number of family doctors relative to the population - the existence of a local council decision to set up the integrated community centres - the identification of the locality as a marginal rural area
367	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Practices of family doctors or associations of primary care practices equipped or renovated, prioritising practices located in marginalised regions and municipalities		Number	0	3 000	Q2	2023	At least 3 000 associations of practices/practices of family doctors shall be equipped or renovated on the basis of an open call. This shall be done through centrally procured medical equipment (through the central purchasing unit of the Ministry of Health or the National Office for Centralized Procurement). At least 75% of all contracts signed with associations of practices/family doctors shall be located in marginalized regions or municipalities (as defined above in the description of the investment). The criteria for selecting medically underserved areas shall be: i) Population characteristics, ii) Coverage of population with health insurance, iii) Availability of needed human resources, iv) Availability of proper physical infrastructure, v) Geographic accessibility.
368	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Mobile medical units equipped for breast and cervical cancer screening		Number	0	10	Q2	2023	10 mobile medical units shall be equipped with equipment for breast and cervical cancer screening. The medical caravans shall perform breast and cervical cancer screening activities in areas with limited access to specialised healthcare services, including disadvantaged areas with a majority population of Roma or Roma communities. Screening caravans (mobile units) shall be allocated to the regional centres currently carrying out cervical screening activities and already having expertise in such activities. The caravans to be purchased shall be the best-available-technology from an environmental point of view, in order to ensure compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
369	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Newly built/renovated and equipped facilities providing outpatient care		Number	0	30	Q4	2024	At least 30 outpatient care units shall be modernized, rehabilitated, extended (including through the construction of new buildings) and equipped. The selection shall also take into account the list of projects which are on the reserve list of the call for projects in the Regional Operational Programme (2014-2020) and other projects according to their level of maturity. At least 20 outpatient care units shall be located in less developed regions or municipalities. The following regions/municipalities are considered to be less developed: those regions/municipalities where the GDP/head < 75% of EU-27 average (in accordance with the EU definition). The investments shall consist of: - rehabilitation / modernization / extension / endowment of the existing outpatient infrastructure; - improving accessibility of space for medical services and access roads; - ensuring / modernizing general and specific utilities (including connecting to utilities on the location of the investment objective); -purchase of equipment for outpatient infrastructure.
370	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Newly built/renovated and equipped integrated community centres, including appropriately staffed		Number	0	200	Q2	2025	200 newly built or renovated integrated community centres. The functionality of the integrated community centres includes spaces for the provision of medical services according to the provisions of the specific legislation and of the issue of the identified vulnerable groups from the medico-socio-economic point of view. Recurring costs such as staff costs shall not be included. Infrastructure and/or buildings shall comply with energy efficiency criteria. All newly-constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. It is estimated that 70% of the costs to deploy this investment shall be related to construction (which shall be conducted by complying with the NZEB+ standard). At least 100 integrated community centres shall be located in marginalised regions and municipalities. The facilities shall be equipped with the following main equipment: I. Office functionality equipment: desks, office chairs, including for patients, file cabinets, wardrobes, multifunction printer (with scanner), computers/ laptops with internet access, scooter / Bicycle / ATV / Electric Car, depending on the specifics of the local community and infrastructure – at least one transportation mean per community centre, 24-hour functional internet structure for ensuring interventions in telemedicine. The means of transport mentioned shall only be used for providing healthcare-related services in remote areas. II. Consultation equipment: consultation sofa, gynaecological table or consultation sofa to contain supports for obstetric and gynaecological examination, blood pressure monitor, stethoscope, complete microsurgery kit, refrigerator for organic products, medical analysis equipment. III. Medical assistance kit (such as: stethoscope sphygmomanometer, foetal stethoscope, pulse oximeter, thermometer se for children and adults, disposable surgical kit, infant and adult scales, kidney tray, mini waste container, rapid test for foetal membrane rupture, PH paper, universal cervical collar, medical supplies.);
371	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Underserved communities, including Roma, have access to community healthcare		Number	0	300	Q2	2025	At least 300 marginalized communities (as defined above in the description of the investment), including communities with a majority of Roma population or Roma communities, shall have access to medical services through the integrated community centres Out of the 300 localities that shall access community healthcare 250 are rural localities and 50 are localities from urban areas.
372	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Family planning cabinets equipped or equipped and renovated		Number	0	119	Q4	2025	119 family planning cabinets shall be equipped and/or rehabilitated. Family planning cabinets shall undergo rehabilitation and refurbishment interventions and be provided with medical laboratory and imaging equipment. The health units operating the family planning offices shall access funding and implement the project. The facilities shall also be endowed with equipment (such as: point of care plus analyser – for sexually transmitted infections, ultrasound scanner with ultraportable gynaecological probes, microscope, IT equipment, refrigerator, transportation vehicles (electric or bikes)).
373	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Increase access to primary care		Number	168	109	Q2	2025	Reduction in the number of rural communities not served by a family doctor by 35% (from 168 to 109) compared to February 2021. These communities shall, where possible, include communities with Roma population. The investments targeting pre-hospital medical infrastructure is planned to cover 3 000 general practitioners’ cabinets and 200 integrated community centres, representing together roughly 35% of the number of active general practitioners in Romania (correlated with the target of 35% reduction in the communities without an acting general practitioner).
374	Investment 1. Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	Target	Increase in preventive consultations		Number	1 100 000	1 265 000	Q2	2024	Increase in the number of preventive consultations by 15 %, starting with the calendar year following the estimated period for completing the proposed investments in medical practices and associations of family medical practices (i.e. as of 30 June 2024). The total number of preventive consultations to be conducted in between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 should increase by 15%, compared to 2019 data. The 15% target was determined by reference to the preventive care consultations conducted in 2019 (roughly 1 100 000). The percentage increase was determined as approximately half of the proportion of general practitioners and integrated community centres that shall be subject to renovation. More specifically, at least 35% of the pre-hospital practitioners’ cabinets shall benefit from support under RRF, correlated to 15% increase in the number of services).
375	Investment 2. Development of public hospital infrastructure	Target	Public hospitals benefiting from equipment and materials to reduce the risk of infections		Number	0	25	Q2	2024	At least 25 public hospitals shall benefit from equipment and materials helping to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, such as equipment for the microbiological air control in the operating blocks and Intensive Care Units through specific air-conditioning facilities as well as facilities for the disinfection of medical personnel (such as: environmental decontamination equipment, sterilization, waste receptacles)
376	Investment 2. Development of public hospital infrastructure	Target	New-born intensive care units equipped, including with new-born ambulances (for the regional centres)		Number	0	25	Q4	2024	25 intensive care units shall benefit from investments in neonatal critical patient infrastructure for early diagnosis, antenatal/neonatal and postnatal treatment. The investment shall consist of: - the capacity extension of hospital infrastructure dedicated to neonatal critical patients (i) with 124 additional beds— including related infrastructure and equipment; (ii) the equipping of 90 existing beds with adequate medical equipment - improving the screening programme by equipping the existing infrastructure with: air-oxygen mixer for the delivery room and for the caesarean section, SN monitor, SOC monitor, transport fan with 21-100% adjustable FiO2, transport incubator, laser device, ret-cam shuttle, indirect ophthalmoscope, including instruments - the acquisition of 12 mobile neonatal intensive care units (Level 3) - building and equipping of 8 regional training centres (100 square meters each) for critical neonatal patients. The equipment for the training centres shall consist of: - mannequins and didactic simulators required in the training programs, such as Complex simulator, with multiple modules for mechanical ventilation scenarios, cardiac ultrasound simulator, Virtual haptic simulator, for endoscopy and colonoscopy; - simulator for bronchoscopy based on virtual reality, ECMO simulator; -advanced emergency simulator and resuscitation model for new born congenital anomalies; -mechanical ventilation mannequin. This shall improve the percentage of new-borns with critical conditions having access to appropriate medical care from 64% to 83% (an estimated improvement by 30% as compared to the current situation).
377	Investment 2. Development of public hospital infrastructure	Target	Construction of and/or equipping new public health units/hospitals		Number	0	25	Q2	2026	At least 25 public health units/hospitals shall be constructed and/or equipped by partial financing through the RRF. Out of the 25 public health units/hospitals, at least three projects shall be completed through the newly established National Agency for Infrastructure Development in Health (ANDIS) created under Reform 2. The investments shall consist of: - Investment in new public hospital infrastructure to: (i) provide new medical services; (ii) improve the quality of existing health services - Investment in medical equipment and appliances for newly built health infrastructure, such as: beds, decontamination units, IT equipment (at least EUR 70 million), crash carts, defibrillators, infusion pumps, physiologic monitoring systems (including central console), physiologic monitoring systems for acute care, ventilators for intensive care units, general purpose scanning systems. At least EUR 570 million of the allocation of EUR 1 089 million or the newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. This requirement is not applicable to projects where the investment only consist in the purchase of new equipment. In order to ensure consistency with the costing information provided for this investment, and complementary to the criteria already mentioned, the following targets should also be reached: • at least 1 500 beds in NZEB buildings • at least 1 300 beds in NZEB+ buildings (buildings achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement) • at least 5 500 beds to be equipped • at least 5 500 beds to have new IT equipment The 25 hospitals and hospital units shall be selected from the following list (including the three projects that shall have been completed through the newly established National Agency for Infrastructure Development in Health (ANDIS) - created under Reform 2): 1. Emergency County Hospital Alba Iulia - relocation and modernisation of the activity of the oncology section and the establishment of the interventional cardiology compartment 2. Emergency County Hospital Alba Iulia - Construction and equipping of infectious disease section 3. Emergency County Hospital Pitești- Radiotherapy Laboratory 4. Clinic Municipal Hospital “Dr. G. Curteanu” Oradea - Construction and equipping of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonology sections 5. Emergency County Hospital Bistrița — extension of hospital pavilion through the construction of a new building 6. Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases” Prof dr CC Iliescu” Bucharest – construction of new premises 7. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital “Filantropia” Bucharest – extension of hospital 8. Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry “Prof. dr. Alexandru Obregia” Bucharest - Construction of a Paediatric Psychiatric Centre 9. Clinic Hospital “Sfânta Maria” Bucharest - Construction of Multi-Organ Transplant Centre 10. Clinic Hospital of Pulmonology, Constanța - Construction clinic Pulmonology pavilion 11. Emergency County Hospital Sibiu – new hospital 12. Municipal Emergency Hospital, Timișoara - construction and equipping of a new maternity 13. Emergency Hospital for children “Louis Turcanu”, Timișoara – equipping new hospital with medical equipment 14. Emergency County Hospital, Vaslui - Construction of new sections for infectious diseases, psychiatry, chronic diseases 15 Emergency County Hospital, Focsani-Vrancea – new hospital 16. Regional centre of cerebrovascular diseases and neurosurgery, Cluj – new hospital 17. Obstetric Genecology Hospital, Buftea - Extension and equipping; dismantling of existing buildings 18. New multitrauma pavilion, Brașov 19. New multitrauma pavilion, Craiova 20.New trauma surgery pavilion, Pitesti 21. New multitrauma pavilion, Sibiu 22. Emergency County Hospital Alba Iulia - Construction and equipping of chronic psychiatry section 23. Clinical hospital of infectious diseases and pneumophysiology, Brașov - new body of building 24. Multi-organ transplant centre, Cluj – new hospital 25. Regional oncological institute, Timisoara – new hospital 26. Municipal Policlinic Hospital, specialising in cardiology and oncology, Constanța – new hospital 27. Construction of obstetrics and gynaecology, neonatology, child surgery and paediatrics sections, Arad – new units 28. “Niculae Stăncioiu” Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases Cluj- Napoca – new section 29. Emergency County Hospital Miercurea Ciuc - Construction of a new building for the Pulmonology and infectious diseases sections 30. Regional Emergency Hospital, Brașov – new hospital 31. University Emergency Hospital, Bucharest - modernisation, construction, rehabilitation of infrastructure 32. “Prof. Dr. Agrippa lonescu” Hospital, Balotești – upgrade infrastructure 33. “Prof. Dr. Dimitre Gerota” Emergency Hospital, Bucharest – new hospital 34. “Dr Teodor Andrei” Municipal Hospital, Lugoj – new hospital 35. Medical pavilion, Constanța – new unit 36. Regional Institute for cardiovascular medicine, Miroslava – new hospital 37. County Emergency Hospital, Piatra Neamț – new hospital 38. Zerlendi Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Treatment Centre, Bucharest – new hospital 39. “Dr. Victor Gomoiu” Children’s Hospital, Bucharest – new centre of excellence in oncopaediatrics 40. Pediatric Monobloc Hospital, Cluj – new hospital 41. Emergency County Hospital, Târgu Mures – new hospital unit 42. Emergency County Hospital, Arad - Rehabilitation of hospital services in cardiovascular medicine 43. Emergency County Hospital, Arad - new radiotherapy section 44. “Sf. Apostol Andrei” Emergency County Hospital, Constanța - Extension of external section for paediatrics and child neonatology 45. Ilfov Emergency Hospital, Ilfov - Operating block and neurosurgery wards and multi-functional general surgical block 46. Emergency County Hospital, Giurgiu – new hospital, first stage (oncology and cardiology sections) 47. Emergency medical center, Voluntari – new unit 48. Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplant, Târgu Mures – new unit 49. Municipal Hospital Bacău – setting up and equipping a new burn unit The final list of hospitals and hospital units shall also depend on the methodology for prioritizing infrastructure investments.

M.COMPONENT 13: Social reforms

This component includes a set of reforms and investments to strengthen the social security in Romania.

The objective of the component is to support the most vulnerable, including workers, children, persons with disabilities, the inactive and the elderly, by increasing access to social services. The reforms supporting the investments include regulatory changes to prevent the separation of children from their families, to address the de-institutionalisation process for persons with disabilities, to start the implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income, to decrease un-declared work and allow the inactive persons to find employment. Measures shall equally support the reform of the long-term care services for the elderly as well as the establishment of an objective minimum wage setting mechanism. The complementary investments relate to the creation of a network of day centres for children of risk of separation, rehabilitation and renovation of social services of persons with disabilities, the creation of a digital platform to implement the voucher system for domestic workers, and the creation of day care and rehabilitation centres for the elderly.

These investments and reforms shall contribute to address Romania’s country-specific recommendations of the past two years to “increase the coverage and quality of social services and complete the minimum inclusion income reform” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019), “ensure minimum wage setting based on objective criteria, consistent with job creation and competitiveness” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019) and to “extend social protection measures and access to essential services for all” (country-specific recommendation 2, 2020).

M.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Creating a new legal framework to prevent the separation of children from their families

The objective of this reform is to prevent the separation of children from their families, especially in vulnerable families. The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a new legislative act which shall create a framework to implement measures (including for example counselling and support for parents and children, day centres for children at risk of separation from parents, day centres for children with disabilities) to effectively prevent the separation of the child from the family and supporting the family in raising and caring for the child at risk of separation. The legislative act shall entail: an identified stable source of funding for the measures, a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level and a funding disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 2. Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities

The objective of this reform is to advance the de-institutionalisation process for persons with disabilities and prevent their institutionalisation.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a legislative act for the approval of the Guide to Accelerating the De-institutionalisation Process of all persons with a disability currently institutionalised so that an “independent living pathway” is defined for each person. The legislative act shall entail an identified stable source of funding for the measures planned in the guideline together with a disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives and a governance structure with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level. The legislative act shall be also based on a full mapping of the individual situation of all persons with a disability and currently institutionalised in Romania with the objective to define an “independent living pathway” for each person, done in compliance with the case management principles by an independent authority/entity.

The reform on the prevention of the institutionalisation process for persons with disabilities shall be implemented through the entry into force of the legislative act enforcing the adopted National Strategy for Preventing Institutionalisation, and the measures for an “independent living pathway” for the largest possible majority of all persons with disabilities.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform 3. Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)

The objective of this reform is to improve social assistance and reduce poverty for the most vulnerable, while reducing the administrative burden for the National Paying and Social Inspection Agency, local public administrations, and the beneficiaries.

The reform shall be implemented through entry into force of legislative amendments that shall set out the methodological rules for implementing the legislation on VMI while maintaining at least the same level of adequacy for the benefits and eligibility conditions as foreseen in the Law 196/2016, the current applicable legislation, with the aim to reduce poverty, stimulate employment through activation measures and to increase education attainment. The payment of minimum inclusion income shall be financed by the Romanian state budget. The digital platform to support this reform shall be developed under pillar II –component 7. Digital transformation.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers

The objective of this reform is to reduce un-declared work, provide incentives to formalise work and to allow inactive persons to find employment.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a legislative act for the establishment of the labour voucher system to boost formal employment. This voucher system should create incentives to create formal employment for domestic workers who are currently recorded as unemployed or inactive. The reform aims at establishing a system of payment and registration of persons carrying out domestic activities on the basis of work vouchers, purchased by the recipient and subsequently exchanged for money by the household provider, after deduction of the related contributions, thereby acquiring the status of insured person in the social security and health insurance system.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 March 2026.

Reform 5. Ensure a minimum wage setting

The objective of the reform is to establish a minimum wage setting mechanism that is based on objective criteria and consistent with job creation and competitiveness of the country.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of a legislative act that establishes a new mechanism and a formula to objectively set the minimum wage level in a systematic manner, in consultation with social partners and taking into account the actions of the Union.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 March 2024.

Investment 1. Creation of a network of day centres for children at risk of separation

The objective of this investment is to prevent the separation of children from their family. Prior to the investment the children and family needs shall be mapped with the available services and infrastructure facilities for children at risk of separation from families, in particular in vulnerable communities. The investment shall consist of the entry into operation of a network of 150 day service centres, at least 10% in communities with a significant Roma population, to prevent the separation of children from their families. Out of the 150 day service centres, 145 shall comply with the nearly zero energy building requirement according to national guidelines. 5 shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 2. Rehabilitation, renovation and development of social infrastructure for persons with disabilities

The objective of this investment is to improve the social services provided to persons with disabilities to support their de-institutionalisation. The investments shall make possible the entry into operation of 55 new community services for persons with disabilities (day centres, assistance and support services, and patient neuro-motor recovery service centres) which shall provide activities for at least 4 870 persons with disabilities in 4 years, to secure an independent living. Out of the 55 new community services, 45 shall be new nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB), according to national guidelines. 10 shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. Equally, the investment shall allow for the modernisation of another 50 community centres (day centres and neuro-motor recovery centres for persons with disabilities) through a national programme to finance investments such as, rehabilitation, consolidation, modernisation, and the provision of community-based services. Subsequently, 25 day centres and 25 outpatient neuro-mobility recovery service centres shall enter into operation through an open call for public social service provisions that shall meet the eligibility criteria for these investments, including the condition to accommodate at least 1 000 persons with disabilities, per year.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 3. Operationalisation of the introduction of work cards for domestic work

The objective of this investment is to operationalise the labour voucher system by ensuring simple and digital access for all users: workers and service beneficiaries.

The investment shall enable the Romanian National Agency for Employment (ANOFM) to deliver and manage a functional digital platform for the vouchers for domestic workers, which is expected to allow, inter alia: to carry out all voucher related transactions digitally (such as buying, encoding working hours), encoding domestic workers activity details (such as number hours, type of domestic activity carried out), and ensure the interoperability with other relevant databases (such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Public Employment Service databases).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

M.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
378	Reform 1. Creating a new legal framework to prevent the separation of children from their families	Milestone	Entry into force of a legislative act necessary to prevent the separation of children from the family and support for vulnerable families	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of legislative act necessary to prevent the separation of children from the family and support for vulnerable families				Q4	2022	The new law shall create a framework to implement measures (including for example counselling and support for parents and children, day centres for children at risk of separation from parents, day centres for children with disabilities) to effectively prevent the separation of the child from the family and supporting the family in raising and caring for the child at risk of separation. The legislative act shall entail: -an identified stable source of funding for the measures -a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level; -a funding disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives.
379	Reform 1. Creating a new legal framework to prevent the separation of children from their families	Target	Reducing the number of children separated from the family and falling into the social protection system		Number	12 139	6 100	Q2	2026	Reduction of the number of children separated from the family and falling into the social protection system compared to 31.12.2020 .
380	Reform 2. Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	Milestone	Entry into force of the law for the implementation and operationalisation of the Guide to Accelerating the De-institutionalisation Process	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q4	2022	Entry into force of the law for the implementation and operationalisation of the Guide to Accelerating the De-institutionalisation Process, of all persons with a disability currently institutionalised so that an “independent living pathway” is defined for each person, and done based on case management approach. The guide to accelerating the de-institutionalization process will be an annex to the National Strategy, both of them being approved through a Government’s Decision. The legislative act shall equally entail: -an identified stable source of funding for the measures planned in the guideline -a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level; -a funding disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives. The legislative act shall be based on a full mapping of the individual situation of all persons with a disability and currently institutionalized in Romania.
381	Reform 2. Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	Milestone	Entry into force of the law to support the implementation of the adopted national strategy for the prevention of institutionalisation	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act for supporting the implementation of the adopted national strategy for the prevention of institutionalisation				Q4	2022	Entry into force of the law to support the implementation of the adopted National Strategy for Preventing Institutionalisation that provides measures for an “independent living pathway” for the majority of persons with a disability and currently institutionalised. The legislative act shall entail: -an identified stable source of funding for the measures planned; -a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level; -a funding disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives.
382	Reform 2. Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	Target	Institutionalised persons with disabilities receiving personalised support to deinstitutionalise and implement their “independent living pathway”		Number	0	8 455	Q2	2026	At least 8 455 (50% of the number in December 2020) institutionalised persons with disabilities receiving support in view of the de-institutionalisation and implementing their “independent living pathway”
383	Reform 2. Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	Target	Reduction in the total number of institutionalised persons with disabilities (compared to 31.12.2020 data)		Number	16 911	11 500	Q2	2026	Reduction in the number of institutionalised persons with disabilities, after receiving the relevant support, based on a case management approach, to advance on their “independent living pathway” to 11 500 out of 16 911.
384	Reform 3. Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	Milestone	Entry into force of the law approving the implementing rules for the application of VMI	Provision in the law indicating the implementing rules for the application of VMI				Q3	2022	The law shall set out the methodological rules for implementing legislation on VMI while maintaining at least the same level of adequacy for the benefits and eligibility conditions as foreseen in the current law (Law 196/2016) with the aim to reduce poverty, stimulate employment through activation measures and increased education attainment.
385	Reform 3. Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	Target	Number of additional eligible family recipients of the improved scheme		Number	189 000	245 700	Q2	2024	Additional eligible families receiving the improved scheme (calculated based on the estimation of number of family beneficiaries under the updated law), on top of the current eligible recipients of Guaranteed Minimum Income, i.e. 189 000 families on 31 December 2020. Payment of minimum income/family support income shall be financed by the state budget.
386	Reform 3. Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	Target	Recipient of Minimum Inclusion Income receives at least one activation measure		% (Percentage)	0	60%	Q2	2025	At least 60% of recipients of the minimum inclusion income over the last 12 months shall have received at least one activation measure. The activation measure shall consist in: job proposals, training activities according to the needs identified based on the case management principles (as per the INTESPO project funded by ESF),
387	Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic work	Milestone	Entry into force of legislation, and its implementing rules, for the domestic workers voucher system	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law for implementing labour voucher system				Q1	2022	Entry into force of the law for the establishment of the labour voucher system to boost formal employment of domestic workers who are currently recorded as unemployed or inactive.
388	Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic work	Target	Beneficiaries (hiring domestic workers)		Number	0	10 000	Q4	2024	At least 10 000 beneficiaries shall hire domestic workers through the vouchers system.
389	Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic work	Target	Beneficiaries (hiring domestic workers)		Number	10 000	30 000	Q1	2026	At least 30 000 beneficiaries shall hire domestic workers through the vouchers system.
390	Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic work	Target	Domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards		Number	0	20 000	Q4	2024	At least 20 000 domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards
391	Reform 4. Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic work	Target	Domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards		Number	20 000	60 000	Q1	2026	At least 60 000 domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards
392	Reform 5. Ensure minimum wage setting	Milestone	Entry into force of the regulation governing the new system for minimum wage setting	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act				Q1	2024	The legislative act shall establish a new mechanism and a formula to objectively set the minimum wage level in a systematic manner, in consultation with social partners and taking into account the actions of the Union.
393	Investment 1. Creation of a network of day centres for children at risk of separation	Milestone	Delivery of a mapping of needs, available services and infrastructure facilities for children at risk of separation from families, in particular in vulnerable communities.	Mapping of needs, available services and infrastructure facilities delivered				Q2	2023	A mapping of available services and infrastructure for children at risk of separation from families, in particular in vulnerable communities shall be delivered. The day centres shall be built based on the outcomes of this mapping in order to respond to the identified needs, in particular of vulnerable communities (such as people with a low-income, people with disabilities, people from marginalized communities, including Roma, people with a migrant background). The mapping shall equally identify the deprived/segregated neighbourhoods in view of responding to the needs of the vulnerable/marginalized communities (such as low income-level, high rates of unemployment, low educational level).
394	Investment 1. Creation of a network of day centres for children at risk of separation	Target	Day centres to prevent the separation of children from the family		Number	0	150	Q4	2024	Entry into operation of a network of 150 day service centres at least 10% in communities with a significant Roma population, to prevent the separation of children from the families. 145 out of the newly-constructed buildings shall comply with the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines. 5 out of the newly-constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
395	Investment 2. Rehabilitation, renovation and development of social infrastructure for persons with disabilities	Target	Modernised community services for persons with disabilities		Number	0	50	Q4	2024	Number of modernised community services (day centres and neuro-motor recovery centres for persons with disabilities) through a national programme to finance investments such as rehabilitation, consolidation, modernisation, and the provision of community-based services. Subsequently, 25 day centres and 25 outpatient neuro-mobility recovery service centres shall enter into operation through an open call for public social service provisions that shall meet the eligibility criteria for these investments, including the condition to accommodate at least 1 000 persons with disabilities, per year.
396	Investment 2. Rehabilitation, renovation and development of social infrastructure for persons with disabilities	Target	New community services for persons with disabilities		Number	0	55	Q4	2025	Entry into operation of 55 new community services (45 new nearly zero-energy buildings and 10 nearly zero-energy buildings +) for persons with disabilities (day centres, assistance and support services, and patient neuro-motor recovery service centres) which shall provide activities for at least 4 870 persons with disabilities in 4 years, in view of independent living. The 10 new Nearly Zero Emissions + buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
397	Investment 3. Operationalisation of the introduction of work cards for domestic work	Milestone	Entry into operation of a functional digital platform for the use of vouchers for domestic workers	Digital platform operational				Q4	2023	Delivery of the functional digital platform for the vouchers for domestic workers, which is expected to allow, inter alia -To carry out all voucher related transactions (buying, encoding working hours) digitally -Encoding domestic workers activity details (number hours, type of domestic activity carried out,) digitally interoperability with other relevant data bases (such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Public Employment Service databases).

M.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

Reform 6. Improvement of the social economy legislation

The objective of this reform is to mobilise to a higher extent the potential of social economy enterprises to innovate and contribute to the social and environmental challenges.

The reform shall be implemented by amending Law No 219/2015 on the social economy and the implementing rules in view of simplifying the registration procedure of social enterprises, ensuring their effective integration with employment policies, as well as active employment measures, including the provision of measure to improve sustainability of the social economy structures, for example by preferential public procurement regimes for goods and services delivered by social economy enterprises.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

Reform 7. Reform of long-term care services for older people

The objective of this reform is to improve the quality of the long-term care services for older people.

The reform shall be implemented by entry into force by legislative act of the strategy, including active ageing policies, long-term care medical needs, and community-based services for the elderly. The legislative act shall entail inter alia: an identified stable source of funding for the measures, a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level, a funding disbursement mechanism conditional to the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives and the revision of minimum quality standards of the long-term care services. The legislative act shall also be based on a full mapping at community level (commune/town/county level) of the potentially dependent elderly population or at risk (e.g. poverty, health, un-accompanied, high degree of dependency) in view of establishing the type of long-term care services needed.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment 4. Creation of a network of day care and rehabilitating centres for elderly

The objective of the investment is to give access to quality long-term care services for elderly through a network of day care and rehabilitation centres. The investment shall make possible the entry into operation of a network of 71 day service centres. The centres shall provide social assistance and rehabilitation services, and each one shall have at least a mobile team of service providers for the elderly that shall not be able to come to the centre. This shall be based on the mapping to be carried out in line with the National Long-Term-Care Strategy.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

M.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Seq. Num.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
398	Reform 6. Improvement of the social economy legislation	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendment of Law No 219/2015 on the social economy and the implementing rules	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the amendment of Law No 219/2015 on the social economy and the implementing rules				Q2	2022	The regulatory modifications shall entail: -Simplified registration procedure of social enterprises -Improved targeting of the economic activities and labour force use so that it addresses better the needs of the vulnerable groups and marginalized communities -Identified measure to improve sustainability of the Social Economy Structures e.g. preferential public procurement regimes for goods and services.
399	Reform 7. Reform of long-term care services for older people	Milestone	Entry into force of a law for the adoption and implementation of the National Long-Term-Care Strategy	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act to support the implementation of the adopted National Long-Term-Care Strategy				Q4	2022	Law for the adopted strategy, including active ageing measures, as well as measures to cover the long-term care medical needs, and community-based services for the elderly. The law shall entail: -an identified stable source of funding for the measures -a governance mechanism with clear responsibilities assigned for the public authorities at national and local level; -a funding disbursement mechanism conditional on the achievement of key performance indicators associated to the policy objectives -the revision of minimum quality standards, The legislative act shall be based on a full mapping at community level (commune/town/county level) of the potentially dependent elderly population or at risk (e.g. poverty, health, un-accompanied, high degree of dependency).
400	Investment 4. Creation of a network of day care and rehabilitating centres for elderly	Target	Operationalisation of day care and rehabilitating centres for the elderly		Number	0	71	Q2	2026	Entry into operation of a network of 71 day service centres. The centres shall provide social assistance and rehabilitation services, and each one shall have at least a mobile team of service providers for the elderly persons not able to come to the centre. This shall be based on the mapping to be carried out in line with milestone 399 - Entry into force of legislation for the adoption and implementation of the National Long-Term-Care Strategy.

N.COMPONENT 14: Good governance

The objectives of the component are, through a broad set of reforms and investments, (i) to improve governance with a predictable, informed and participatory decision-making system, (ii) to ensure the delivery of quality public services by a pool of professional and well-trained civil servants that adequately respond to the challenges, needs and expectations of citizens and businesses. This shall strengthen resilience and the capacity to adapt to the green and digital transition.

The specific objectives of the component are as follows:

1. Better coordination, formulation and implementation of government policies, increased transparency and trust in the public sector.

2. Effective human resources management in the public sector.

3. A coherent public sector wage policy, linked to performance and sustainable in the long term (Fair unitary pay).

4. Strengthening the independence of the judiciary, improving access to justice and increasing efficiency in the judiciary.

5. A more efficient national procurement system, including by strengthening the administrative capacity of contracting authorities/entities, within a flexible and coherent legal framework.

6. Improving public policy/decision making processes through stakeholder consultation.

7. Increased resilience of state-owned companies due to operationalisation of corporate governance principles.

The component is comprised of nine reforms and five investments.

The measures included in the component are expected to address a set of challenges highlighted by the country-specific recommendation to increase efficiency of public procurement and ensure full and sustainable implementation of the national public procurement strategy; to improve the quality and predictability of decision-making including by appropriate stakeholder consultations, effective impact assessments and streamlined administrative procedures and adequate involvement of social partners (country specific recommendation 3 , country specific recommendation 4, country specific recommendation 5 2019 and country specific recommendation 4, 2020).

N.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1.1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration

The objective of the reform is to improve the planning of government policies in the short and medium term (by developing institutional strategic planning mechanisms and linking them to budget programming), to strengthen the system of preliminary regulatory impact analysis (through procedural and institutional adjustments), to improve capacities of public policy planning and formulation (through new mechanisms for managing government strategies, training or exchange of experience, and by introducing the concept of innovative governance), and to strengthen coordination at the Government Centre of policies of a strong horizontal nature and involving a large number of stakeholders (such as the Green Compact).

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Adoption and entry into force of the methodologies and procedures to improve public policy rationale and planning and administrative simplification (by 31 March 2022). As a result of this, at least 50% of the proposed legislative initiatives, included in the Government Annual Work Plan (GAWP), shall be approved within the planned timeline by 31 March 2026, and 25% of the presentation and motivation tools (i.e. explanatory memorandums/substantiation notes accompanying draft regulations) shall satisfy the set quality criteria (i.e. are assessed at an excellent or satisfactory level) as per the Government methodology adopted in the first annual report on the regulatory impact assessment (adopted in 2019) by 31 December 2024.

(2) Creation and operationalisation of a new strategic management and strategic planning system in all ministries, whereas strategies and strategic plans developed at ministerial level shall follow the provisions of the methodologies adopted under action (1) above and shall be uploaded to the Institutional Strategic Plans (ISP) monitoring platform as it is extended to all ministries (by 30 June 2023). As a result of this, all line ministries shall have planned their budgets per programme and at least three ministries shall have also executed/implemented budgets per programme by 30 June 2025.

(3) Adoption and entry into force of a legislative act operationalising a structure to ensure the implementation of an effective regulatory quality control mechanism by 31 March 2022.

(4) Establishment of the existing baseline of innovation at central government level (line ministries and General Secretariat of the Government) and the completion of an Action Plan for the introduction of innovation mechanisms and the creation of a regulatory environment to enable public administration to innovate (31 December 2022).

(5) Enhancing the quality of public consultations and developing civil society involvement in the decision-making process by strengthening the legislative and procedural framework for the coordination and effective implementation of open government initiatives (Open Government Initiative). This shall be attained through:

(i) Updates of the legal framework, extension of IT platform, capacity building for civil servants, Open Government Strategy adoption. As a result of this, there shall be a 20% increase in the number of draft legislative acts subject to public consultation and involvement of stakeholders at central level by 30 June 2026.

(ii) Trainings organised for civil society organisations to increase their capacity and skills to participate effectively in public consultation processes. As a result of this action, 800 representatives of civil society organisations shall be trained by 31 December 2025.

(6) Adoption and entry into force of the guidelines for appropriate use and enforcement of the Single Register of Interest Transparency (RUTI) aimed at proper implementation of the public register (by 30 September 2022).

(7) Adoption and entry into force of the Methodology for the use of Emergency Ordinances which shall specify the circumstances under which these ordonnances may be used and how their impact shall be assessed (ex post, ex ante) as well as the associated procedures for their preparation and approval (by 30 September 2022).

(8) Adoption and entry into force of the legislative amendments to Law 24/2000 on legislative technique to ensure publication of the full text of the laws after amendments have been made to them, which currently is not being done systematically (by 30 September 2022).

Reform 2 Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives

The objectives of the reform are the following: (i) to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of green measures and policies by operationalising a mechanism for coordinating and implementing the European Green Deal in Romania; and (ii) to reform public administration by promoting and coordinating a coherent public policy for sustainable development at all levels and in all sectors of the state with a focus on digital transformation and increasing the relevance/use of the scientific approach in public sustainable development policies.

This shall be attained through the establishment and operationalisation of an Inter-Institutional Climate Committee with a mandate to prioritise climate action and monitor progress annually by 30 June 2022. As a result of this action, 90% of the priorities set by the Inter-Institutional Climate Change Committee for 2025, in line with the objectives set out in the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, shall be achieved by 31 March 2026 and 2000 public officials shall be qualified as ‘sustainable development expert’ in public institutions, at central and local level, by 30 September 2025.

Reform 3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector

The objective of the reform is to modernise the management of the civil service, promoting a new transparent and inclusive recruitment system, using a competence framework appropriate to the realities of the public sector, directly linked to the institutional needs and the needs of the citizens and the business community they serve. These reform measures shall go hand in hand with a strong digitalisation of the public sector and the acquisition of digital skills among civil servants.

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Performance of an ex-post analysis of the (pilot) national competition for the selection of two civil service categories in the central administration (by 30 June 2023).

(2) Performance of at least two national civil servant recruitment competition annually for a minimum of 3 civil service categories/ grades (by 31 December 2023).

(3) Adoption and entry into force of two legislative acts on the human resources management: (i) one introducing changes in the career management of civil servants to base it on meritocracy, and (ii) another one on management of contract staff in the public administration (by 31 December 2024).

(4) Operationalisation of the competence frameworks in central public administration, which shall include the preparation and adoption of the legislative act and its effective implementation (by 31 December 2025).

Reform 4. Developing of a fair unitary pay system in the public sector

The objective of the reform is to ensure a fair and fiscally sustainable wage policy by closing the current wage gap in the budgetary system, restoring the hierarchy of functions within and across areas of activity, reviewing the bonus system, and establishing a performance incentive system.

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Performance of an overall impact assessment of the Law on Unitarian Pay, including an assessment of the fiscal impact of the new law (by 31 March 2022);

(2) Adoption and entry into force of the new legal framework on remuneration of civil servants (Law on Unitarian Pay) (by 30 June 2023);

Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency

The objective of the reform is to strengthen the independence of magistrates, making the functioning of judicial institutions more efficient, in accordance with the relevant case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and taking into account recommendations made in the CVM reports, the GRECO reports and the opinions of the Venice Commission and the Rule of Law Reports.

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Adoption and entry into force of the law approving the strategy for the development of the judiciary 2022-2025 (by 31 March 2022). The strategy shall comprise two pillars: (i) policies to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and strengthen the rule of law; and (ii) policies to strengthen institutional capacity concerning resources, processes and management, and policies on the quality and efficiency of services in the judiciary.

(2) Adoption and entry into force of the law amending the powers of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets (by 31 March 2022).

(3) Adoption and entry into force of the “Justice laws” (laws on the status of magistrates, judicial organisation, Superior Council of Magistracy) (by 30 June 2023). The new justice laws shall provide among others for the following: (i) strengthening the independence of judges and prosecutors; (ii) admission to the profession and career advancement on meritocratic grounds, in conjunction with the strengthening of the role of the National Institute of Magistracy in organising and conducting examinations and competitions; (iii) the efficient functioning of the courts, the Superior Council of Magistracy as well as the Public Prosecutor’s Office; (iv) the effective accountability of magistrates, but also their protection against any interference and abuse; (v) making judicial inspection more effective, ensuring greater guarantees of independence and impartiality.

(4) Adoption and entry into force of amendment of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code in order to align them with the Constitution of Romania, following the decisions of the Constitutional Court (by 31 December 2022).

(5) Training sessions (300 in total) organised for the judges, prosecutors and court clerks to improve the quality and efficiency of justice system (by 31 December 2025).

Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption

The objective of the reform is to step up the fight against corruption, by adopting the national strategic framework for its prevention and repression, by strengthening the capacity of the institution competent to combat it, namely DNA, by recovering the damage and proceeds of crime, to strengthen integrity in the civil service and ensuring an efficient system for declaring assets and interests, while developing and implementing the new anti-corruption strategy.

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Adoption and entry into force of the legislative act approving new National Anti-Corruption Strategy (by 31 December 2021). As a result of this, by 31 December 2025 at least 70% of the measures foreseen in the new anti-corruption strategy shall be implemented and 50% increase of the value of seized assets managed by the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets shall be attained.

(2) Occupation rate of 85% of National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutor positions attained (by 30 June 2023).

(3) Adoption and entry into force of the law transposing the directive on whistle-blowers’ protection (by 31 March 2022).

Reform 7. Evaluation and update of legislation on the integrity framework

The objective of this reform is to strengthen integrity in the civil service and to make digitalisation and transparency more efficient by providing the necessary resources for the submission of asset and interest declarations in digital format with a certified electronic signature.

The following specific actions shall be carried out as part of this reform:

(1) Adoption and entry into force of the consolidated laws on integrity (by 31 December 2024).

(2) Review of the codes of ethics and conduct for the Government, in addition to the existing ones for the civil service and adoption and implementation of enforcement measures (by 31 December 2024).

Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system

The objective of this reform is to improve the efficiency of the public procurement system and to ensure the full and sustainable implementation of the National Public Procurement Strategy, as endorsed by Government Decision No 901/2015.

The following actions shall be performed under this reform:

(1) Adoption and entry into force of the amendment of national legislation on remedies (Law No. 101/2016) in order to streamline the awarding process (by 31 March 2022).

(2) Adoption and entry into force of the updated National Public Procurement Strategy including horizontal measures to support the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plan (by 30 June 2023).

(3) Operationalisation of centralised procurement bodies (CPBs) for local authorities (by 31 December 2025).

(4) Specialised training in the field of public procurement provided to at least 350 persons (both civil servants and contractual staff) (by 31 December 2023).

(5) Interconnection and interoperability with other databases of the Public Procurement Electronic System (SEAP) (by 31 December 2023).

(6) Operationalisation of e-procurement system including e-forms, automated qualification assessment, e-catalogues, e-invoicing, e-payment (by 31 March 2025).

Reform 9: Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises

The objective of this reform is to improve the corporate governance of all state-owned enterprises in Romania by enforcing OECD standards.

The reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of amendments to Law 11/2016, removing all exceptions to compliance with the corporate governance standards, including for state-owned companies at local level. These amendments shall enforce a separation between the regulatory and ownership functions, remove any direct or indirect advantage that might derive from State ownership, be it in terms of market rules/regulations, financing, taxation, or public procurement, and ensure that any state-owned enterprise pursue obtaining profitability.

The reform shall also set up and operationalise a task-force at the Centre of the Government to ensure the monitoring of the application of corporate governance standards, having the ultimate responsibility of ensuring a transparent and competitive selection procedure for approving the appointment of administration board members, monitors, and for evaluation and controls. The task force shall publish regular reporting of performance indicators and enforces sanctions for state owned enterprises non-compliant with key performance indicators. A Monitoring Dashboard with financial and non-financial targets and performance indicators for all categories of public companies (including key sectors such as transport, energy, public utilities) shall be developed, yearly published and used centrally for reporting and monitoring progress in achieving performance for all categories state-owned enterprises.

In line with Article 7 (2) of the Recovery and Resilience Regulation, Romania has requested technical support through the instrument on technical assistance for the implementation of reform to improve the framework on corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. Technical assistance is needed with a view to amend the relevant legislation (Law No 11/2016 and Government Decision No 722/2016) and the State’s shareholding policy (including consultation of all interested parties), and to create the appropriate institutional framework in order to centralise the State shareholder function under one structure/institution. Technical assistance is also needed for the development of institutional capacity in the area of state-owned enterprise management (increasing the expertise of the corporate governance departments in ministries managing state-owned enterprises), and the capacity for coordinating and monitoring the new taskforce set up at the centre of the government.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026. The updated legislation for state-owned companies (including those at local level) shall enter into force by 31 December 2022. The permanent task-force to ensure the monitoring and enforcement of the application of corporate governance standards shall be operational by 31 December 2022. The Monitoring Dashboard shall be operational by 30 June 2023.

Investment 1 Optimising judicial infrastructure to guarantee access to justice and quality of services

The objective of this investment is to improve the efficiency of the judicial system and access to justice.

This shall be attained through the construction of 3 new court building, which shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. Access to buildings shall be adapted to persons with disabilities and this adaptation shall be accompanied by compliance with fire and technical protection standards, including seismic resilience. Priority shall be given to the locations of judicial authorities in economically less developed parts of Romania.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 2 Developing the logistical (non-IT) infrastructure needed to fight corruption and recover the proceeds and damage from crime, including training in these areas

The objective of this investment is to expand the storage capacity of ANABI through the construction/development of 3 new warehouses for the storage of seized property which shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

Investment 3 Creation of local partnership structures between the local governments and the civil society

The objective of the investment is to improve stability, predictability and support for partnership in public policy formulation aims on the one hand to stimulate permanent working partnerships between public administration and civil society and on the other hand to improve citizens’ participation and active involvement in the decision-making process while increasing the digitalisation of the NGO sector as prerequisites for improving the quality and predictability of decision-making with a positive impact on the quality of public services offered to citizens and business.

As a result, at least 50 partnerships between local public administration authorities (LPA) and NGOs shall be established and operational and at least 15 functional collaborative non-governmental sector initiatives shall be made operational.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment 4. Increasing the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the national recovery and resilience plan and to monitor related reforms

Increase the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the NRDP and to monitor related reforms.

As a result of this investment, at least 15 functional non-governmental sector collaborative initiatives (networks, coalitions, platforms, groups of organisations including think tanks, analytical and research structures) shall be set up to ensure continuity in the public consultation processes, i.e. monitoring the implementation of at least 15 public policies/national reforms in areas with a social function.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment 5. Monitoring and implementation of the plan

The objective of this investment is to set up and operationalise the integrated IT system, part of the government cloud and connected with other national and EU systems used for the purpose of the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan.

The investment consists of two phases:

·in the first phase, the system shall be developed and shall enable the collection of data for reporting purposes (as foreseen in the RRF scoreboards), the monitoring of progress towards meeting milestones and targets, the preparation of the management declarations, audit summary and payment applications, communicating the requirements for the stakeholders, monitoring the complementarities with other sources of funding, performing ex-ante evaluation to avoid the risk of double funding, ensuring the ex-ante and ex-post verification of the procurement procedures performed by national recovery and resilience plan beneficiaries and ensuring the timely detection and correction of irregularities, fraud and conflict of interest.

·in the second phase, the interconnection with other systems of management and control of European funds and from the national budget and the integration with the government cloud shall be prepared and operationalised.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2021, before the first payment request is submitted to the European Commission.

N.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Seq. Nr.	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)				Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal		Quarter	Year
401	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	Entry into force of the methodologies and procedures to improve public policy rationale and planning and administrative simplification	Provision in the laws and the government decisions indicating the entry into force of the laws and government decisions respectively for improving public policy rationale and planning and administrative simplification					Q1	2022	Entry into force of the following legislative acts: (1) Government Decision laying down procedures for the development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and updating of government strategies; (2) Government Decision laying down the procedures for strategic planning and budgetary programming to ensure an adequate link between policy priorities and budget formulation. Ministerial budget programs shall implement the recommendations of spending reviews (which are introduced under the Tax and pensions reform component section of this document) and according to the methodology developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance (MoF). (3) Government Decision on updating the methodology for ex-ante impact assessment of the draft regulation. The focus of the updated methodology shall be on introducing innovation and “digital by default” principles as well as specific procedures for strengthened implementation and annual reporting. (4) Government Decision on approving the “One in, one out” Methodology aimed at reducing administrative burden. (5) Government Decision on the procedural and methodological framework for ex-post assessment of regulations.
402	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	A new strategic management and strategic planning system is operational in all ministries	The new system is operational in all line ministries					Q2	2023	Strategies and strategic plans developed at ministerial level shall follow the provisions of the methodologies mentioned in milestone 401 and shall be uploaded to the Institutional Strategic Plans (ISP) monitoring platform as it is extended to all ministries.
403	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Target	At least 3 ministries planned and implemented budgets per programme		Number	0	3		Q2	2025	At least 3 ministries planned and implemented budgets per programme by applying Institutional Strategic Planning (ISP) methodology with the support of the General Secretariat of the Government (GSG) and the Ministry of Finances (MoF). The aim is to complement program budget planning with actual program-based execution of the ministerial budget. Ministerial budget programs shall implement the recommendations of spending reviews (which are introduced under the Tax and pensions reform component section of this document).
404	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration.	Milestone	Entry into force of a legislative act operationalising a structure to ensure the implementation of an effective regulatory quality control mechanism	Provision in a law indicating the entry into force of the law operationalising the regulatory quality control structure					Q1	2022	The legislative act shall be based on the study carried out by the General Secretariat of the Government on the establishment of a quality control mechanism at the Government Centre. The new structure shall perform regulatory scrutiny of the quality of impact assessments and evaluations. It shall be composed of a board of experts supported by a technical secretariat, similar to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board that is currently active at the level of the European Commission. The legislative act shall establish the following: (1) selection procedure for the board experts; (2) rules and procedures for the board and the technical secretariat (including job descriptions); (3) guidelines on how to assess the quality of documents; (4) communication strategy inside and outside Government; (5) trainings.
405	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	Operational IT Platform to monitor the innovation in public administration	The IT Platform is developed and operational					Q4	2024	The IT Platform to monitor the innovation in public administration shall be developed and become operational. The IT Platform shall automatically generate, annual monitoring reports on the progress registered by the Romanian institutions in terms of innovative deliverables and innovation capabilities.
406	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Target	800 representatives of civil society organizations trained to increase the administrative capacity and digitization of their structures	Trained representatives	Number	0	800		Q4	2025	The General Secretariat of the Government shall conduct annual training sessions for staff of civil society organizations to increase their capacity and skills to participate effectively in public consultation processes. The trainings shall aim at using the digital platform e-consultare.gov.ro, as well as other mechanisms/ procedures provided by the legal framework.
407	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Target	Process of public consultation and involvement of interested stakeholders improved through 20% increase in the number of draft legislative acts subject to public consultation and involvement of stakeholders at central level		Percentage (%)	0 [2020]	20		Q2	2026	In order to increase the quality of the consultation process, in addition to the trainings for representatives of civil society organisations (provided under Target 406), a series of activities shall be carried out as follows: -An updated legal framework shall be adopted to standardize the implementation of regulations in the field of public consultations and free access to information of public interest. -Existing IT platform www.e-consultare.gov.ro shall be extended to serve as a “one-stop shop” information portal at government level for citizens on participation opportunities and as a tool for monitoring and evaluating annual progress. -Training programs/ methodological support shall be created and provided for streamlining the implementation of regulations in the field of public consultations and free access to information of public interest for civil servants from central (ministries) and local authorities (county councils and municipalities). -The Open Government Strategy shall be adopted. -Training programs/methodological support shall be created and provided for the implementation of the principles of open government for civil servants from central (ministries) and local authorities (county councils and municipalities). -Annual progress reports with additional guidelines and recommendations shall be published. The attainment of this target shall be based on the indicators established in the dashboard (part of the annual progress assessment).
408	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Target	25% of the presentation and motivation tools satisfy the set quality criteria (i.e. are assessed at an excellent or satisfactory level) as per the Government methodology		Percentage (%)	10	25		Q4	2024	The quality of the legislation shall be assessed on the basis of the criteria established in the General Secretariat of the Government first annual report on the regulatory impact assessment adopted in 2019. The baseline for 2019 was 10%, i.e. the number of presentation and motivation tools satisfy the set quality criteria (i.e. are assessed at an excellent or satisfactory level). There are 4 levels of quality: excellent, satisfactory, partially satisfactory and unmet. On medium term this shall be undertaken by the scrutiny board (reflected in milestone 404).
409	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Target	At least 50% of the proposed legislative initiatives, included in the Government Annual Work Plan (GAWP), approved within the set deadline		Percentage (%)	35	50		Q1	2026	At least 50 % of the proposed legislative initiatives, included in the Government Annual Work Plan (GAWP), shall be approved in within the deadline established for that initiative in the GAWP. The GAWP sets the legislative agenda of the government (i.e., proposed legislative interventions for the year across the government). The objective of this target is two-fold: i) to support a coherent and feasible legislative planning, and ii) to increase the implementation capacity of the government, so that the legislative priorities are being followed and approved as originally planned. The assessment of this target shall be made with regard to the baseline of 35% (i.e. 2020 level of initiatives approval within the set deadline).
410	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	Entry into force of guidelines for appropriate use and enforcement of the Single Register of Interest Transparency (RUTI)	Provision in the guidelines indicating the entry into force of the guidelines for the use and enforcement of RUTI					Q3	2022	The guidelines and associated procedures shall properly implement the public register created by the Government in 2016 that lists meetings of (government) decision-makers with interest representatives, and also serves as a voluntary register for interest groups.
411	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	Entry into force of the Methodology for the use of Emergency Ordinances	Provision in the Government Decision indicating entry into force of the methodology for the use of Emergency Ordinances					Q3	2022	The Government Decision on the Methodology for the use of Emergency Ordinances (EOs) shall specify the circumstances under which these ordonnances may be used and how their impact shall be assessed (ex post, ex ante) as well as the associated procedures for their preparation and approval and the role of Government Secretariat General and Ministry of Justice for ensuring gatekeeping and overall quality control.
412	Reform 1. Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative amendments to ensure publication of the full text of the laws after amendments	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law for the publication of the full text of the laws after amendments					Q3	2022	The amendments to Law 24/2000 on legislative technique shall ensure publication of the full text of the law after amendments have been made to it, which currently in not being done systematically.
413	Reform 2. Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	Milestone	Operationalisation of an Inter-Institutional Climate Committee	Inter-Institutional Climate Committee operationalised					Q2	2022	The Climate Change Committee shall focus, according to its proposed mandate, on (i) establishing annual priority policies in the field of climate change in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the timetable assumed by Romania through the National Integrated Plan in Energy and Climate Change (PNIESC), (ii) coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the authorities’ responsible for the implementation of policies and measures in PNIESC activities, (iii) approval of the indicators for measuring Romania's climate commitments. The priorities for the Committee shall be set and decided in its meetings, and these may be of legislative, financial or fiscal nature, related to development of public policies for green investments, or setting the methodological or administrative framework. The priorities shall be formally approved annually by the Government and an Action Plan shall be adopted on the steps to achieve each proposed priority, clear deadlines for delivery for each step and the responsible institutions.
414	Reform 2. Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	Target	The achievement of 90% of the priorities set by the Inter-Institutional Climate Change Committee for 2025		Percentage (%)	0	90		Q1	2026	90% of the priorities set by the Inter-Institutional Climate Change Committee for 2025 shall be attained. The priorities shall be endorsed in the Inter-institutional Climate Change Committee (CISC) in December 2024.
415	Reform 2. Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	Target	Public officials qualified as ‘sustainable development expert’ in public institutions at central and local level		Number	0	2 000		Q3	2025	The target shall be attained through the following steps: (1) A report shall be produced assessing the needs and level of skills in the field of sustainable development among public administrators at central and local level; (2) Legislative amendments to supplement Annex 5 to the Administrative Code with the function of ‘sustainable development expert’ shall be adopted and enter into force; (3) Training programme shall be developed and provided by public, private and academic institutions.
416	Reform 3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	Milestone	Ex-post analysis of the (pilot) national competition for the selection of two civil service categories in the central administration	Ex-post analysis report published					Q2	2023	The national (pilot) competition for the selection of two civil service categories in the central administration shall be organised and completed in accordance with the procedures approved by the Government. After the pilot project has been carried out, an ex-post analysis shall be carried out on the results and the impact obtained which shall serve to adjust broader national recruitment competition.
417	Reform 3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	Milestone	Completion of at least two national civil servant recruitment competition annually for a minimum of 3 civil service categories/ grades	Completion of two national civil servant recruitment competitions					Q4	2023	The following shall be carried out: (1) Approval by the Government of the procedure for the organisation and conduct of the national competition extended to the other categories of general civil service in the public administration (besides the ones subject to piloting) in accordance with the legislation in force. (2) Analyses performed based on data collection, studies, surveys, recruitment plans to establish how to operationalise the national competition carried out before the draft legislative act is prepared. (3) Organisation and completion of two national competition rounds.
418	Reform 3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector.	Milestone	Entry into force of two legislative acts on the human resources management	Provision in the laws indicating entry into force of the laws of the human resources management legislative acts					Q4	2024	The following legislative acts shall be adopted and enter into force: (1) introducing changes to career management of civil servants based on meritocracy, and in particular development of a horizontal/rotational mobility policy and career structuring for more targeted serving civil servants. (2) management of contract staff in the public administration.
419	Reform 3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector.	Milestone	Competence frameworks in central public administration operational	Competence framework operational					Q4	2025	The milestone includes the entry into force of the legislative act and its effective implementation. The draft legislative act on general competence frameworks for civil servants shall be used in the implementation of the pilot project. The legislative proposal shall aim at the phased implementation of competency frameworks in public institutions and shall be based on the model/design developed by the SIPOCA 136 project. Report on the recruitment and selection actions in the civil service shall confirm the use of new procedures. After completion of the pilot project, in order to adjust and recalibrate the normative act, following the ex-post analysis, the technical support requested by the national recovery and resilience plan shall be used. The implementation shall be attained through the following steps: (1) Clarification of job-specific roles and preparation for the introduction of the competence framework. (2) Simplification of job classification and correlation of ICT infrastructure with human resources management processes. (3) Evaluation of professional performance on the basis of competences. The implementation of the framework shall be subject to regular updating.
420	Reform 4. Developing of a fair unitary pay system in the public sector	Milestone	Entry into force of the new legal framework on remuneration of civil servants (Law on Unitarian Pay)	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law on remuneration of civil servants					Q2	2023	The new law on the remuneration of civil servants (Law on Unitarian Pay) shall establish a unified calculation methodology to increase wage fairness in the budgetary sector (application of the principle of equal pay for equal work), non-discriminatory treatment in determining bonuses and linking performance to the salary paid. The proposed methodology for the recalculation of salaries shall be fiscally sustainable and be based on: -revision of the ranking coefficients for each occupational budget function family; -reintroduction of pay scales for local government, corresponding to public and contractual functions; -revision of the system of bonuses and capping the amount of bonuses at 20% of basic salary. The new legal framework shall be implemented at the same time for all occupational categories, in order to avoid the emergence of new imbalances in the public wage system.
421	Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	Milestone	Entry into force of the law approving the strategy for the development of the judiciary 2022-2025	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law approving the strategy for the development of the judiciary					Q1	2022	The Ministry of Justice shall prepare the new strategy on the basis of internal analyses and proposals received during the public consultation process, after which the strategy shall be approved and enter into force. The strategy shall comprise two pillars: (1) the first pillar concerns policies to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and strengthen the rule of law. The results of the policies concerning strengthening the rule of law shall be objectively assessed through dedicated achievement indicators, which shall be developed in the framework of the strategy. The measures and indicators shall be prepared considering the findings of the Rule of Law Report. (2) the second pillar shall include policies to strengthen institutional capacity concerning resources, processes and management, and shall include policies on the quality and efficiency of services in the judiciary, such as: a) efficient use of human resources (e.g. workload); b) the policy of optimisation of the court infrastructure, including physical infrastructure; c) digital transformation – through the following measures: -digital interaction of the litigant and any interested entity with the judiciary, -electronic signature and electronic seal. -availability of improved data communication for e-file (which is an option for litigants to electronically access the judicial files). -elaboration of a cross-judicial sector strategy for the digitisation of the physical archive. The progress in implementing the strategy shall be monitored and assessed using a set of indicators developed based on objective resources such as the EU Justice Scoreboard, EC Rule of Law Report.
422	Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	Milestone	Entry into force of the law amending the powers of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law for amending the powers of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets					Q2	2022	The legislative act shall transpose the Directive (EU) 2019/1153 as well as introduce several changes related to the extension of the institutional mandate, addressing issues such as: administration and valorisation of seized property and collaboration with other relevant bodies in the process of recovering damages.
423	Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	Milestone	Entry into force of the “Justice laws” (laws on the status of magistrates, judicial organisation, Superior Council of Magistracy)	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the justice laws					Q2	2023	The new justice laws shall provide for the following: (1) strengthening the independence of judges and prosecutors; (2) admission to the profession and career advancement on meritocratic grounds, in conjunction with the strengthening of the role of the National Institute of Magistracy in organising and conducting examinations and competitions; (3) the efficient functioning of the courts, the Superior Council of Magistracy as well as the Public Prosecutor’s Office; (4) the effective accountability of magistrates, but also their protection against any interference and abuse; (5) making judicial inspection more effective, ensuring greater guarantees of independence and impartiality.
424	Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	Milestone	Amendment of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law					Q4	2022	The necessary amendments of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code shall be adopted and enter into force in order to bring the provisions of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code that entered into force in 2014 in line with the Constitutional provisions, in accordance with the relevant national Constitutional Court decisions on the constitutionality aspects of the recent changes made to the Criminal Code and Criminal procedure.
425	Reform 5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	Target	At least 6000 civil servants in the justice sector (judges, prosecutors and court clerks) having attended the trainings to improve the quality and efficiency of justice system		Number	0	6 000		Q4	2025	Training sessions for magistrates and court clerks shall be organised to enhance the quality of justice system and make it more efficient. The following trainings shall be organised: (1) unifying lawyer-linguistics with regard to the new codes (Civil Code, Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code), (2) public procurement, administrative law, tax procedure, (3) international judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, case law of the European Court of Justice on fundamental rights, (4) management of the work of court clerks, (5) case law of the European Court of Human Rights, (6) enforcement of criminal judgments. The 300 training sessions shall target approximately 6000 judges, prosecutors and court clerks.
426	Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative act approving new National Anti-Corruption Strategy	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law approving the Anti-Corruption Strategy					Q4	2021	The general objectives of the new anti-corruption strategy shall be: (1) Reducing the impact of corruption on citizens; (2) Strengthening integrity management and administrative capacity to prevent and fight corruption; (3) Strengthening integrity in priority areas; (4) Improve the performance of the fight against corruption by criminal and administrative means; (5) Increase implementation of anti-corruption measures. Specific objectives of the new anti-corruption strategy shall be: (1) training of practitioners involved in preventing and combating environmental crime; (2) allocating the necessary resources to the optimal functioning of DNA (National Anti-Corruption Directorate), the European Public Prosecutor Office support structure, the Technical Service and the reinforcement of judicial police officers; (3) promoting the unification of judicial practice in corruption. In this regard, NAD shall conduct an analysis of judicial practice concerning corruption cases. The new strategy shall set out new priority areas: environmental corruption, the link between corruption and organised crime, and integrity in the protection of cultural assets. It shall also review the integrity legislation and thus possible improvements shall be made regarding specific legislation concerning: - conflicts of interest, incompatibilities; - declaration of assets; - revolving door (pantouflage); - the ethics adviser; - the general standard for the ex officio publication of public interest information’s at the level of central and local public authorities (in order to ensure the consistency in the application).
427	Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	Target	An increase of the value of seized assets managed by the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets		Percentage (%)	0	50		Q4	2025	The increase in the value of seized assets managed by the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets shall be attained following the legislative amendments regarding the consolidation of the legal mandate of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets’ (ANABI) (milestone 422) and the construction of the warehouses (Target 446) for the storage of seized property. The baseline for this target shall be the value of the seized assets, managed by the Agency, in June 2021 (approximately 45 million Euro).
428	Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	Target	Completion of at least 70% of the measures foreseen in the new anti-corruption strategy		Percentage (%)	0	70		Q4	2025	The strategy foresees the implementation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism similar to the one successfully used in the 2016-2020 cycle. It involves regular reporting, compliance assessment missions in public institutions, annual evaluation reports, validated and by public and private experts. The compliance assessment mechanism of the strategy includes: - the peer review missions carried out in public institutions by teams of experts from independent authorities, anticorruption institutions, public administration, business environment and civil society (this tool is partially replicating international experience, e.g. GRECO). - performance of intermediate and final external audits regarding the implementation of the strategy. The external evaluations analyse the objectives of the strategy, its impact, the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementing measures and the sustainability of its results.

429	Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	Target	Occupation rate of 85% of National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutor positions attained		Percentage (%)	0	85		Q2	2023	Occupation rate of 85% of National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutor positions attained.
430	Reform 6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	Milestone	Entry into force of the law on whistle-blowers’ protection	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law					Q1	2022	Entry into force of the law on the whistle-blowers’ protection. The law shall transpose Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, and shall include additional provisions, specific to the national context, in order to efficiently address integrity policy issues.
431	Reform 7. Evaluation and update of legislation on the integrity framework	Milestone	Entry into force of the consolidated laws on integrity	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law on integrity					Q4	2024	Consolidated laws on integrity shall enter into force. The update of the integrity legislation shall be realized based on a prior evaluation and analysis of the integrity laws, together with an initial clustering of the normative acts. Within the second phase of the project, the existing laws shall either be unified and updated, or new normative acts shall be proposed.
432	Reform 7. Evaluation and update of legislation on the integrity framework	Milestone	Approved revised version of the codes of ethics and conduct for the Government, in addition to the existing ones for the civil service and adoption and implementation of enforcement measures	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the revised version of the codes of ethics and conduct for the Government					Q4	2024	The review of the codes of ethics shall: - clarify the implications for members of Government of the current provisions on conflicts of interest independently of whether such a conflict might also be revealed by declarations of assets and interests - extend the definition beyond the personal financial interests - introduce a requirement of ad hoc disclosure when a conflict between specific private interests of individual Government member may emerge in relation to a matter under consideration in Governmental proceedings or in other work related to their mandate; - establish a robust set of restrictions concerning gifts, hospitality, favours and other benefits for members, and ensuring that the future system is properly understood and enforceable. - introduce rules on how members of Government engage with lobbyists and other third parties who seek to influence the legislative process
433	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system	Milestone	Entry into force of the amendment of national legislation on remedies (Law No. 101/2016)	Provision in the law indicating entry into force of the law on remedies					Q1	2022	The legislative amendment to the national legislation on remedies (Law No. 101/2016) shall introduce the obligation for the contract to be signed with the winning bidder immediately after the adoption of the National Council for Dispute Resolution (CNSC) decision, prior to a court resolution in case of a complaint against a Council’s Decision.
434	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system.	Milestone	Entry into force of the Public Procurement Strategy including horizontal measures to support the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plan	Provision in the Government decision indicating entry into force of the Public Procurement Strategy					Q2	2023	The objectives of the future Strategy shall be in line with the strategic priorities outlined by the European Commission’s public procurement strategy. Consequently, the measures to be included in the action plan of the future Strategy shall focus on the six strategic policy priorities of the Commission’s Strategy, aiming to improve public procurement practices in a collaborative manner by working with the other public authorities and other stakeholders. The strategy and its exact measures, together with associated implementation schedule and assignment of responsibilities shall be agreed by the Inter-ministerial Committee on Public Procurement.
435	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system	Target	Operational centralised procurement bodies (CPBs) for local authorities		Number of operational centralised procurement bodies	3 [2021]	7		Q4	2025	4 additional local CPBs shall be configured and provided with operational instruments and know-how. The exact categories of goods/services/works that shall be subject to centralized procurement are to be established following the needs analysis of the beneficiaries of each CPB, but may include the following: i) office supplies, ii) fuel, iii) IT equipment, iv) communication services v) facility management services vi) mobility services.
436	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system	Target	Specialised training in the field of public procurement provided		Number	0	350		Q4	2023	Specialised training in the field of public procurement shall be provided for at least 350 persons (both civil servants and contractual staff) especially for employees of state-owned enterprises. The specialised training shall contribute to increasing the administrative capacity of the “big buyers” and other contracting authorities who implement investment projects financed through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, hence the focus given to the SOEs.
437	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system	Milestone	The Public Procurement Electronic System (SEAP) system is interconnected and interoperable with other databases	SEAP system interconnected and interoperable					Q4	2023	The Public Procurement Electronic System (SEAP) system shall be interconnected and made interoperable with other databases: National Trade Register Office, National Integrity Agency, National Agency for Fiscal Administration, National Agency for Public Procurement, National Board for Complaints, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, using information and simplifying procurement procedures and checks for the benefit of the participants in the procedure.
438	Reform 8. Reforming the national procurement system	Milestone	Operational e-procurement system	E-procurement system operational					Q1	2025	The following shall be completed and operational under SEAP (e-procurement system): (1) development and implementation of new forms (e-forms) provided for by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780 of 23 September 2019 establishing standard forms for the publication of notices in the field of public procurement and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1986; (2) development and implementation of electronic forms in the evaluation of tenders in public procurement procedures; (3) the expansion of the functionalities of the dynamic public procurement system (SAD), which became operational in March 2021, with facilities enabling automated assessment of qualifications, inclusion of the electronic catalogue; (4) e-contracts, e-invoicing, e-payment and contract management tools (addenda, acceptance reports, payments).
439	Reform 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Milestone	Entry into force of updated legislation for state-owned companies	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law on state owned enterprises					Q4	2022	Entry into force of the amended Law 11/2016, removing all exceptions, including for state-owned companies at local level. These amendments shall (i) separate the regulatory and ownership functions (ii) remove any direct or indirect advantage that might derive from State ownership, be it in terms of market rules/regulations, financing, taxation, or public procurement (iii) ensure that any state-owned enterprise pursue obtaining profitability.
440	Reform 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Milestone	Operationalisation of the task force at the Centre of the Government for Corporate Governance Policy Coordination and Monitoring	Provision in the Decision of the Prime Minister indicating the entry into force of the Prime Minister Decision on the organisation and functioning of the Task force at the General Secretariat of the Government					Q4	2022	On the basis of the recommendations of an independent expert panel, a permanent taskforce is established in compliance with the OECD corporate governance standards, and becomes operational (i.e. legally mandated and resourced) to ensure the monitoring of the application of corporate governance standards, has the ultimate responsibility of ensuring a transparent and competitive selection procedure for approving the appointment of administration board members, monitors, evaluates, controls, and publishes regular reporting of performance indicators and enforces sanctions for state owned enterprises non-compliant with key performance indicators.
441	Reform. 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Milestone	Publication of the Monitoring Dashboard with financial and non-financial targets and performance indicators for all categories of public companies (including key sectors such as transport, energy, public utilities)	Monitoring dashboard published with relevant data on the dynamics of the performance indicators					Q2	2023	The Monitoring Dashboard shall be developed, yearly published and used centrally for reporting and monitoring progress in achieving performance indicators (financial and non-financial) for all categories of SOEs. Priority shall be sought for all companies in key sectors such as transport, energy, public utilities. For this, the following steps shall be performed: -Conduct an evaluation of all state-owned companies with recommendations for selling or listing the assets of state-owned companies; -Identify financial and non-functional objectives and a scoreboard for monitoring financial and non-financial Key Performance Indicators for all categories of SOEs including those in sectors such as energy transport, public utilities, operable by the Task-Force; -The task Force approves all financial and non-financial objectives and Key Performance Indicators for all SOEs, including those in the energy and transport sectors
442	Reform 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Target	Reduction of interim/temporary management board appointments by 50% for state-owned companies at central level		Percentage (%)	0		50	Q4	2023	The reduction of temporary appointments to the management of state-owned companies at central level shall be calculated by reference to the baseline level to be determined in the analysis carried out in 2022.
443	Reform 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Target	Central state-owned companies listed/ leased/ restructured in the field of energy and transport		Number	0		3	Q2	2026	At least 3 central state-owned companies listed/ leased/ restructured in the field of energy and transport, in addition to the listing of at least 15% shares of Hidroelectrica which is addressed by Target 122 under the Energy component section of this document.
444	Reform 9. Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	Target	Reduction of interim/temporary management board appointments by 10% for state-owned companies at local level		Percentage (%)	0		10	Q4	2023	The reduction of temporary appointments to the management of state-owned companies at local level shall be calculated by reference to the baseline level (2020) to be determined in the analysis carried out in 2022.
445	Investment 1. Optimising judicial infrastructure to guarantee access to justice and quality of services	Target	Premises of courts built according to green standards		Number	0		3	Q2	2026	The investment concerns the construction of 3 new court buildings, which shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. Access to buildings shall be adapted to persons with disabilities and this adaptation shall be accompanied by compliance with fire and technical protection standards, including seismic resilience. Priority shall be given to the locations of judicial authorities in economically less developed parts of Romania.
446	Investment 2. Developing the logistical (non-IT) infrastructure needed to fight corruption and recover the proceeds and damage from crime, including training in these areas	Target	Warehouses for the storage of seized property made operational		Number	0		3	Q3	2025	Completion of rehabilitation/construction works for 3 seized assets warehouses which shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
447	Investment 3 Creation of local partnership structures between the local governments and the civil society	Target	Partnerships between local public administration authorities (LPA) and NGOs established and operational		Number	0		50	Q1	2026	50 new partnerships shall be concluded between non-governmental organisations and local public administration authorities for the development of projects supporting the development of local communities. Concrete intervention plans engaging the partnerships shall be defined at the level of each community, and shall prioritise areas such as tackling discrimination, participatory governance and budgeting, serving vulnerable communities (such as Roma, homeless), tackling poverty, green transition. Intervention plans shall include associated targets, short-term and long-term deliverables, budgets, and committing to regular, transparent and inclusive consultation processes, providing for clear roles-assignation to parties involved). The intervention plans shall also provide for working instruments aimed at developing the internal capacity of the administration, involved in the partnership, to serve its citizens. The prioritisation of intervention plans shall be subject to a collaborative and public consultation. The implementation of each intervention plan shall be monitored for at least 2 years after each plan’s conclusion. The cooperation among parties and the regularity/efficiency of the consultation process shall be documented all along the investment period.
448	Investment 4. Increasing the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the national recovery and resilience plan and to monitor related reforms	Target	Functional collaborative non-governmental sector initiatives operational		Number	0		15	Q1	2026	At least 15 functional non-governmental sector collaborative initiatives (networks, coalitions, platforms, groups of organisations including think tanks, analytical and research structures.) shall be set up to ensure the participation and effective contribution of the non-governmental organisations in the public consultation processes. The objective of these initiatives shall be to monitor the creation, adoption and implementation of at least 15 public policies/national reforms with significance for the national recovery and resilience plan and in areas of social importance (such as health, education, green transition). Collaboration mechanisms shall be established and made operational through partnership agreements, which shall establish a defined action strategy, with concrete and defined deliverables and timelines, focused on ensuring active involvement in consultation processes and monitoring the implementation of a specific national public policy. Monitoring of such initiatives shall be done through at least 15 external monitoring reports that shall be prepared for each initiative on a regular basis. The support provided shall cover expenditures for technical & financial implementation of the project, direct and indirect operational costs associated to the actions foreseen in the project (i.e. organising consultations, communication & dissemination actions, data collection and processing, expertise in different areas.)
449	Investment 4. Increasing the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the national recovery and resilience plan and to monitor related reforms	Milestone	Entry into force of social dialogue legislation, providing for meaningful and timely social dialogue and collective bargaining, in line with the ILO Recommendations	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the law for the social dialogue					Q4	2022	Entry into force of a new law on social dialogue, negotiated with the social partners. The law shall address deficiencies in the social dialogue process as highlighted in the relevant Country Specific Recommendation and be in line with the International Labour Organisation recommendations issued in April 2018 and referred to in recital 25 of the 2020 Country Specific Recommendations. Also, the Law shall foresee a Revision of the definition of the economic sectors as a basis for sector level collective agreement.
450	Investment 5. Monitoring and implementation of the plan	Milestone	Audit and Controls: information for monitoring implementation of the recovery and resilience plan	Audit report confirming repository system functionalities					Q4	2021	A repository system for monitoring the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan shall be in place and operational before the first payment request (except for prefinancing). The system shall include, as a minimum, the following functionalities: (a) collection of data and monitoring of the achievement of milestones and targets; (b) collect, store and ensure access to the data required by Article 22(2)(d)(i) to (iii) of the RRF Regulation.
451	Investment 5. Monitoring and implementation of the plan	Milestone	Entry into force of a Government Ordinance enacting the legal mandate of the Ministry of Investments and European Project (MIPE), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Audit Authority (AA)	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the Government Emergency Ordinance on the financial, implementation, control and audit mechanism, including clear mandate to three institutions					Q4	2021	Entry into force of a Government Ordinance enacting the institutional framework for the national recovery and resilience plan and the activities carried out by the constituent institutions entrusting MIPE the power and mandate to exercise all the tasks of monitoring, verification, control and recovery, drawing up and signing payment applications submitted to the European Commission, the management declaration and the audit summary. The same framework shall also entrust MoF with the duties in relation to the signing of the loan agreement and the financing agreement together with MIPE, and also to specify the activities that the audit authority shall perform as part of its mandate for national recovery and resilience plan.

O.COMPONENT 15: Education

This component of the Romanian Recovery and Resilience Plan consists of 6 sub-components addressing key challenges in the education system. The sub-components are stemming from the ‘Educated Romania’ project, which is the overarching strategy for reforming the education system in Romania. The sub-components are the following:

I.Early childhood education and care: the development of a unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education and care system, improving access to and participation of 0 to 6 year-olds, based on an effective inter-institutional cooperation and cross-sectoral coordination mechanism;

II.Early school leaving: the reform of compulsory education by increasing the autonomy of schools to prevent and reduce early school leaving, through social-inclusion programmes and the provision of equal opportunities;

III.Vocational education and training and dual education: the creation of a full professional route for higher technical education;

IV.Digitalisation of education: the digitalisation of the educational process, also through changes in the legal framework, to enable integrated approaches and improving digital skills for both students and teachers;

V.Infrastructure: upgrading schools and universities infrastructure in urban and rural areas, including by amending and streamlining the regulatory framework to ensure environmentally-friendly safety and quality standards;

VI.School governance: the reform of the governance of pre-university education and professionalisation of its management, with increased school autonomy, to ensure stability, consistency and competence.

The component includes 6 reforms and 18 investments, as well as an overarching reform for adopting the legislation on the implementation of the “Educated Romania” project.

The Component shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendation addressed to Romania on improving the quality and inclusiveness of education, in particular for Roma and other disadvantaged groups, and on improving skills, including digital, notably by increasing the labour market relevance of vocational education and training and higher education (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019). It also shall address the recommendation on strengthening skills and digital learning and ensuring equal access to education (country-specific recommendation 2, 2020).

O.1. Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1. Elaboration and adoption of the legislative package for the implementation of the "Educated Romania” project

The objective of this reform is the adoption and entry into force of the legislative package for implementing the “Educated Romania” project, which is the overarching strategy for reforming the education system of Romania. All the subsequent reforms and investments are integral parts of this strategy.

The reform shall consist of the following steps leading to the adoption and entry into force of the legislative package for the implementation of “Educated Romania”: setting-up of an inter-ministerial working group coordinated by the Prime Minister, which shall monitor the implementation of the project; a Government Decision approving the Action Plan for the implementation; and the preparation of the legislative package in close consultation with key stakeholders.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

I.Early childhood education and care:

Reform 2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education system

The objective of the reform is to improve access to early childhood education and care for children from birth until the start of primary education, with a particular focus on children from socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

The reform includes the adoption of an Inter-sectoral Framework Programme for the development of unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education services, with clear responsibilities for the ministries involved (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration), as well as annual operational implementation plans. The Inter-sectoral Framework Programme shall be adopted by a Ministerial Order and enter into force by 31 December 2022.

The reform also includes the adoption of an updated legislative framework for the establishment, organisation and operation of complementary early childhood education services.

This reform is expected to raise the participation rate of 0-3 year-olds in early childhood education services to 19% by 31 December 2025. In addition, the participation rate of 3-6 year-olds in education services is expected to raise to 91% by 31 December 2025.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

This reform shall be complemented by 3 related investments:

Investment 1. Construction, equipping and operationalisation of 110 crèches

The objective of this investment is to increase the capacity of the early-childhood education system by providing crèches to improve access and participation in standard early-childhood education and care services. The investments involve the construction, equipment and operationalisation of 110 energy-efficient crèches at national level, providing a standard early-childhood education service per every 5 000 to 10 000 inhabitants, for up to 4 500 children.

The 110 crèches with a capacity of between 50 and 110 places (hosting 2, 3 or 5 groups) shall be built by public operators. In particular, 1 large crèche, 2 medium crèches and 107 small crèches are expected to be built. Newly-constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates

This investment shall be achieved through the award of grants to public operators, with territorial distribution, for crèches, early-childhood education and care services.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 2. Setting up, equipping and operationalising 412 complementary services for disadvantaged groups

The objective of this investment is to increase the capacity of the early-childhood education system and its quality, to improve participation rates, both at pre-primary and pre-school level, by serving around 20 000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The investment shall include the following actions:

1.Development of the methodology for the grants’ award to public and private operators for the establishment and equipment of the 412 complementary services;

2.The step-by-step allocation, of 2 lots of 200 and 212 units/lot respectively, to public and private operators of grants for the establishment, equipment and operationalisation of the 412 complementary services;

3.The completion of the establishment, equipment and operationalisation of the 412 complementary services.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2024.

Investment 3. Development of framework programme for the continuous training of professionals in early-childhood education services

The objective of this investment is the professionalization of staff working in early-childhood education services under the approaches promoted by the curriculum for early childhood education adopted in 2019 and, also, for the professionalization of staff in service for monitoring the quality of early childhood education services for children under 3,

The investment shall consist of:

1.Design, award and implementation of a technical assistance contract for the preparation, accreditation, conduct and follow-up of 2 continuous training programmes, namely:

-one training programme for trainers in early-childhood education: implementation of a specific curriculum, with modules for teaching and non-teaching staff, including a digital education module;

-one training programme for trainers (from three sectors: social, education and health), to monitor the quality of early-childhood education services;

2.Development of the methodology for the award of 42 grants for training providers to carry out the training programmes, using trainers trained under the technical assistance contract;

3.Allocation of the 42 grants for the training of 19 950 staff (teaching and non-teaching staff, 475 per county) working in standard and complementary early-childhood education services, prioritising those in the newly established services.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

II.Early school leaving:

Reform 3. Reform of the compulsory education system to prevent and reduce early school leaving

The objectives of this reform are (a) to implement the Early Warning Mechanism in Education to reduce absenteeism, improve evaluation outcomes, achieve a higher participation rate in national examinations and a higher percentage of pupils completing compulsory education, by using a decentralised approach and increasing the schools’ autonomy in the use of resources; and (b) to monitor, through the Early Warning Mechanism in Education IT tool, pupils at risk of early-school leaving and support schools in relevant data collection, carrying out individualised work plans and training.

These objectives shall be achieved through the entry into force of a Government Decision for the implementation of the National Programme for Early School Leaving, by 31 December 2021, and through the scaling-up of the Early Warning Mechanism in Education IT tool at national level, through a ministerial order that shall enter into force on 31 December 2022.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

This reform shall be complemented by 2 related investments:

Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs

The objective of this investment is to reduce early school leaving by means of using the Early Warning Mechanism in Education methodology and IT tool to allocate financial resources to schools for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education. The ultimate goal is the reduction in early school leaving.

The investment shall be carried out with the following steps:

1.Allocation of 3-year grants in 2 lots throughout 2022 and 2023 to a minimum of 2 500 schools. The allocation shall be based on a short-listing of institutions at risk of drop-out developed by the Ministry of Education and shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

2.Tracking of implementation through two final targets contemplating a 10% reduction at national level of schools under high priority on the Composite Vulnerability Index for early school leaving at the end of the 3-year grants (30 June 2026), and the digitalisation of 2 500 schools included in the drop-out programme (31 December 2023).

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 5. Trainings for users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIR) and the Early Warning Mechanism (MATE) IT tool and systemic interventions to reduce early school leaving

The objective of this investment is to develop and implement a training for the users in schools of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIR) and the Early Warning Mechanism IT tool (MATE IT tool). The training modules shall be tailored to student needs and skills (inclusive education), student-centred teaching approaches, improving teaching conditions; providing training for the use of the MATE computer module; developing and implementing awareness campaigns for students and teachers; improving students' socio-emotional skills for completing compulsory education.

45 000 teachers shall have completed the specific training by March 2023.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

III.Vocational education and training (Dual system):

Reform 4. Creation of a full professional route for higher technical education

The objective of this reform is to develop dual education focused on students’ needs and aligned with labour market needs, both by increasing the number of fields, qualifications and graduates, and by ensuring a complete educational pathway for students registered under dual secondary, so that they may go up to the third level education programmes (qualification 3-7).

The reform shall consist of:

-Entry into force of the legislative framework with the methodology for organizing the complete dual route with a duration of 4 years, with access to tertiary education starting with the school year 2023-2024.

-Development of the regulation of the new Baccalaureate, including dual education graduates. Following its promotion, graduates shall be able to access university study programs. The unitary baccalaureate shall be applied in Romania starting with June 2027 session.

The legislative framework for organizing the complete dual education route shall enter into force by 30 September 2022. The implementation of the reform shall be tracked through the raise of the share of students enrolled in the professional route, in relation to the total number of high school students, from 17% to 40% by 30 June 2026.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

This reform shall be complemented by 4 related investments 49 :

Investment 6. Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses

The objective of this investment is to ensure equal access to quality initial vocational education and training, by developing partnerships with economic operators or other relevant partners to adapt VET to labour market needs.

The investment shall consist of the establishment of 10 regional consortia, each consisting of at least the following types of entities: local public authorities, local businesses, professional and technical schools, technical universities, to support employers to play an active role in the field of vocational training of pupils and students; and the construction, within the above regional consortia, of 10 integrated, upper secondary and university vocational campuses for vocational education and training.

The investment results shall be:

-10 integrated and operational dual education consortia linked to the requirements of economic operators in the concerned area. The selection process shall be based on a unitary methodology developed by the Ministry of Education, applicable at national level to identify the most appropriate and impactful regional partnership structures. Preferably, each partnership structure shall be located in one distinct development region, in order to ensure an equal geographical distribution at national level. The 10 selected regional professional consortia shall be supported through a grant scheme to ensure optimal training conditions for students and to provide financial support for a duration of 4 years. Priority shall be given to secondary school pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including Roma.

-10 mixed integrated vocational campuses (high schools and technical universities), with the objective to provide a modern physical infrastructure for the mixed integrated vocational housing the regional partnership structures/consortia. The implementation shall take place at local level, and cities and municipalities are expected to participate in calls for the realisation of infrastructure projects in their territory.

Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude the following list of activities: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use 50 ; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks 51 ; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators 52 and mechanical biological treatment plants 53 ; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be selected.

The vocational campuses shall be built by 30 September 2025 and the dual education consortia shall function at full capacity by 31 March 2026. Tracking of implementation shall be ensured by students enrolled in the full dual route, increasing from a baseline number of 1 847 in 2020, to 3 000 students on June 2026. Sustainability of the funding programmes after 2026 shall be ensured through the state budget.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment 7. Transformation of agricultural high schools into professionalisation centres

The objective of this investment is to support 57 agricultural colleges, which shall be organised in 5 regional centres corresponding to the 5 agricultural universities established in Romania. The funding scheme for the agricultural colleges, with a maximum ceiling of 5 years, shall cover at least the following types of activities:

-Modernise, renovate and extend school laboratories, workshops and IT laboratories, canteens, accommodation for students.

-Purchase biological material, agricultural equipment and machinery for performing agricultural works.

-Teachers training based on a specific agriculture-related curricula developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education.

Each agricultural school shall be equipped with an IT laboratory, which shall include simulators and software necessary for theoretical and practical teaching/learning activities.

When it comes to renovations, the contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. In this context, at least 90% of the renovation-related costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements.

The contracts shall also require that newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

IV.Digitalisation of education:

Reform 5. Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education

The reform aims to ensure the necessary legal framework for the development of digital competences for pupils by defining the competency profile for education professionals, revising the compulsory school curriculum and the framework plan for ICT disciplines for all school levels.

The reform shall be implemented by the entry into force of the legislative framework for digitalisation of educational processes and content and for conducting online assessments. Moreover, through this reform minimum and optimal standards for ensuring the quality of online educational activities shall be set. The reform is expected to align the educational system to DigComp European framework for digital competences for students, including by updating the curriculum, and developing digital teaching materials. Lastly, the reform shall operationalise the links between the teacher’s competences profile and the curriculum for initial vocational training, continuing vocational training and the one for skills training.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

This reform shall be complemented by 4 related investments 54 :

Investment 8. In-service training programme for teaching staff

The objective of this investment is to develop digital pedagogy skills for teachers including those related to the collection and efficient use of available tools and resources. The investment targets all the specific activities ranging from teaching, assessment, communication with parents, creation and exchange of digital content and resources.

The investment shall be implemented through the development of thematic training courses, for the development of digital literacy and digital pedagogy competences in particular for teachers in rural areas and other disadvantaged environments. The DigComp European framework for digital competences and internationally recognised digital skills standards (ECDL) shall be taken into account for the design of the training programme. It is expected that 100 000 teachers shall participate to the training programmes. The digital skills training shall be complemented by a platform for collection of multimedia lessons to serve as good practice models for each curriculum area/learning discipline, for different levels of education. 50 000 teachers shall benefit from the exchange through the dedicated platform. A framework to monitor and assess the practical application of acquired skills, to ensure the assessment of digital skills and to initiate corrective actions shall be created to ensure the long-lasting effect of the training programme.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

Investment 9. Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools

The objective of this investment is to ensure the necessary infrastructure and technological resources for pre-university schools with a focus on disadvantaged areas (especially rural areas), enabling pupils’ access to technology through IT laboratories and dedicated equipment.

The investment shall consist in grants for modernisation of at least 5 200 informatics laboratories, the development of over 1 100 technological hubs (as smart labs) and for ensuring the infrastructure and digital equipment for over 3 600 schools not covered by any other funding programmes. Smart labs shall enable pupils’ digital and technological literacy, teacher education for both basic and advanced digital skills and competences needed in the labour market, while using new technologies 4.0 and developing applied creativity through 3D printing and 3D design software.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2025.

V.Infrastructure 55 :

Reform 6. Updated regulatory framework to ensure environmentally-friendly design, construction and endowment standards in the pre-university education system

The objectives of this reform are (a) to increase the quality and safety of learning environments, including regulation on teaching material, furniture, and equipment of laboratory equipment and technological workshops; and (b) to develop and adopt the legal framework for fostering the transition to green buildings in schools.

In the context of the transition to green and smart buildings, Romanian authorities shall update the legislation on the design, endowment and operation of schools, including regulation on teaching material, furniture and equipment of laboratory and science laboratories and shall develop a Methodology for the operation and organisation of green schools.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

This reform shall be accompanied by 3 investments in school related infrastructure:

Investment 10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses

The objective of this investment is to ensure the sustainability of pre-university schools through the transition to green schools and green mobility (electric minibuses). To ensure the transition towards a sustainable education system, the Ministry of Education shall start developing a network of sustainable, environmentally-friendly schools. 300 000 m2 of school area shall benefit from structural changes to ensure sustainability (thermal insulation, solar panels, green space planning, selective collection) and 46 400 m2 of green new pre-university school area shall be built. The methodology for selecting the Green Schools may consider criteria such as: availability of the school; number of pupils; equitable geographical distribution of awards; equitable rural-urban distribution of awards; level of pollution of the area; previous experience in project implementation and in carrying out environmental projects/activities.

Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.

For renovations, the contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state In this context, at least 90% of the costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements.

The 3 200 school minibuses are intended for the transport of pupils from isolated localities in rural areas. The Ministry of Education shall carry out an analysis at national level, with the involvement of local public authorities, to identify situations in which transportation of pupils to schools in other localities shall be required. This investment also complements reform 2 on preventing early school leaving, by ensuring mobility means for pupils in areas with low population, facilitating their access to quality education.

The electric minibuses shall be purchased and in use by 30 June 2023 and the green buildings shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment 11. Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops

The objective of this investment is to provide the necessary facilities to meet quality standards in classrooms and in school laboratories/workshops, including the provision of specialised teaching facilities and equipment for disadvantaged pupils and students with special educational needs.

Provision of the necessary facilities for classrooms and school laboratories shall be carried out on a decentralised basis at school level, county school inspectorates and local public authorities. 75 000 classrooms and 10 000 school science laboratories/ shall be equipped.

Investments shall be prioritised for those educational establishments with no investment in classroom and laboratory equipment in the last 10 years.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment 12. Support for rural school consortia

This investment is addressed to students from villages and small municipalities with the view of improving their access to quality education within modern rural-school campuses.

3 rural school consortia shall be created to strengthen the rural educational environment by ensuring optimal teaching conditions and respecting the principle of social fairness.

The three consortia shall be financed through a grant scheme managed by the Ministry of Investment and European Projects, which shall select the three Local Action Groups or associations of Local Action Groups that meet at least two criteria: (a) demonstrate the demographic decline of the microregion over a period of minimum 7 years; (b) may present a firm agreement of local public authorities to the rural school campus project.

Subsequently, 3 modern campuses with a capacity of 300-1 500 places shall be developed. The campuses shall be provided with modern educational facilities, workshops and laboratories, after-school facilities, sports rooms and pitches, facilities for non-formal activities, kitchen and accommodation facilities for pupils and teachers, and facilities for teachers. Campuses shall also have a fleet to provide daily transport and school trips for pupils.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

VI.School governance:

Reform 7. Reform of the governance of the pre-university education system and professionalization of management

The objectives of this reform are for schools to benefit from more efficient management and greater autonomy. The governance reform shall increase the capacity at school level to implement all reforms proposed for education.

The Ministry of Education shall sign a technical assistance contract to carry out an analysis of the governance in the pre-university education system, including recommendations and a plan for restructuring the management of the system, in a framework of increased autonomy of schools.

The plan shall also set out a pilot plan focusing on curriculum architecture frameworks in 60 schools, to test the impact of systemic changes in order to adjust, correct and adapt them to needs before scaling them up.

The implementation of the reform shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

This reform shall be complemented by one investment 56 .

O.2. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target		Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)			Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
						Unit of measure	Baseline	Goal	Quarter	Year
452	Reform 1. Elaboration and adoption of the legislative package for the implementation of the "Educated Romania” project	Milestone		Entry into force of the legislative package for the implementation of the ‘Educated Romania’ project	Provision in the legislative package indicating the entry into force of the “Educated Romania” project				Q3	2023	The legislative package shall ensure consistency with other legal regulations issued in recent years and with the requirements of a constantly changing socio-economic environment, and shall include: -Establishment of an inter-ministerial working group coordinated by the Prime Minister, which shall monitor the project “Educated Romania”. Quarterly monitoring reports shall be published -Adoption of a Government Decision setting deadlines and responsibilities, for the implementation of the project “Educated Romania”; -Legislative measures to ensure the implementation of the project “Educated Romania”. Consultations shall be organised for the preparation of the legislative package with social partners, representatives of parents’ associations, business and non-governmental organisations, local communities, other public authorities/entities, pupils, students, teachers, experts.
453	Reform 2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education system	Milestone		- Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) adopting the Cross-sectoral Framework Programme - Entry into force of the MO regulating the establishment, organisation and operation of complementary early-childhood education services	- Provision in the MO indicating the entry into force of the Cross-sectoral Framework Programme - Provision in the MO indicating the entry into force of the regulation for the establishment, organisation and operation of complementary early-childhood education services				Q4	2022	The Ministerial Order, signed by the Minister of Education, Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Minister of Health and Minister of Development, Public Works and Administration shall adopt and operationalise during the first year of the Programme the Cross-sectoral Framework Programme the development of unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education services. The Ministerial Order decision shall contain: -The Cross-sectoral Framework Programme (ISFP) with the responsibilities of each Ministry. -Annual Operational Implementation Plans (AOIP) to implement the ISFP. These annual plans shall define the deadlines and responsibilities and clarify the aspects of cooperation in monitoring the implementation of those measures. A further step shall be the adoption of a Ministerial Order regulating the establishment, organisation and operation of complementary early-childhood education services until 31 December 2022, in order to prepare the launching of the grant scheme.
454	Reform 2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early childhood education system for children	Target		Participation rate of 0-3 year-olds in early childhood education services		Percentage (%)	14,1	19	Q4	2025	The participation rate of 0-3 olds in early childhood education services shall increase by 4,9 pps. The indicator ‘participation in formal childcare 0-3’ shall be drawn from the EU-SILC survey. The possible number of places in standard and complementary services newly built/set up by 31 December 2025 is approximately 15 000.
455	Reform 2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early childhood education system for children	Target		Participation rate of 3-6 year-olds in early childhood education services		Percentage (%)	88	91	Q4	2025	The participation rate of 3-6 olds in early childhood education services shall increase by 3 percentage points. Participation rate calculations shall be drawn up annually by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on the basis of information provided by early-childhood education establishments.
456	Investment 1. Construction, equipping and operationalisation of 110 crèches	Milestone		Signature of contracts with public operators (municipalities) for the construction, equipment and operationalisation of 110 crèches	Signature of contracts				Q2	2022	Signature of contracts, with territorial distribution, for nursery, pre-school, early childhood education and care services. The grant scheme shall be based on the following criteria: (i) the existence of a local strategy for the development of these services; (ii) the number of children up to 3 years-old relative to the coverage capacity of existing services within a max. 2/3km radius; (iii) the number of pending requests from parents for these services (at least 50); (iv) a needs analysis, taking into account the specific needs of marginalised communities; (v) newly-constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
457	Investment 1. Construction, equipping and operationalisation of 110 crèches	Target		Newly built, equipped and operationalised crèches		Number	0	110	Q4	2025	110 crèches shall be built following the launch of the grant scheme for their construction (and equipment), complying with the requirements in milestone 453 The 110 crèches with a capacity ranging from 50 to 110 places (accommodating 2, 3 or 5 groups) by public operators. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. The newly built crèches shall be able to provide educational support for a maximum of 4 500 children. There are envisaged to be built one large crèches, two medium crèches and 107 small crèches.
458	Investment 2. Setting up, equipping and operationalising 412 complementary services for disadvantaged groups	Milestone		Signature of contracts for setting up, equipping and operationalising complementary services for disadvantaged groups	Signature of contracts				Q1	2023	The Ministry of Education is responsible for preparing and launching the application for the grant scheme and for advising and monitoring beneficiaries for setting up, equipping and operationalising complementary services for disadvantaged groups. Complementary services shall be established, equipped and operationalised as a result of the phased implementation of the grant scheme (2 instalments of 200 and 212 units respectively). These services are expected to be set up in spaces provided by the community/various public and private education vans, from the remote/disadvantaged localities where an educational facility is too far from the child’s domicile and the number of children 0 to 6 years is very low, for these reasons not being justified to build a nursery/kindergarten, in order to ensure the right to education for children from birth to 6 years as close as possible to their home. Complementary services may be a ludotheque, play centre, multifunctional centre, etc. and shall be equipped with children’s tables and chairs; children’s mattresses; educational materials and equipment, including digital equipment (laptop, smart tablets, digital cameras and videos, digital carpets for educational activities, digital writing and drawing sets, etc.); material and toy cabinets and library shelves; bath furniture, including napkin changing furniture; furniture for administrative spaces (offices, seats, cabinets); kitchen furniture and equipment. Each complementary service shall have 2 classrooms/groups to be set-up and equipped. Therefore, the complementary services shall be able to provide educational support for up to 50 children aged from birth to 6 years per service, for a maximum of 20 600 children.
459	Investment 2. Setting up, equipping and operationalising 412 complementary services for disadvantaged groups	Target		Complementary services set up, equipped and operational		Number	0	412	Q1	2024	At least 412 complementary services set up, equipped and operationalised in accordance with the provisions under milestone 458.
460	Investment 3. Development of framework programme for the continuous training of professionals in early-childhood education services	Target		Trainers in the curricular and monitoring fields trained		Number	0	420	Q2	2024	420 trainers (168 curricular trainers and 252 trainers in monitoring early-childhood education services) shall be trained and evaluated under two programmes and shall receive specific certificates. Two continuous training programmes shall be implemented: -one training programme for trainers in early-childhood education: implementation of a specific curriculum, with modules for teaching and non-teaching staff, including a digital education module; -one training programme for trainers (from three sectors: social, education and health), to monitor the quality of early-childhood education services. Priority shall be given to those working in the newly established services.
461	Investment 3. Development of framework programme for the continuous training of professionals in early childhood education services	Target		Trained personnel, working in standard and complementary early-childhood education services, prioritising those in the newly established services		Number	0	19 950	Q4	2025	19 950 persons working in standard and complementary early-childhood education services (teaching and non-teaching staff), prioritising those in newly established services shall be trained. Priority shall be given to those working in the newly established services (if they are operationalized). Also, finishing the training programme 1 could be an advantage for those who shall be hired in those newly services. The recipients of these trainings (475 teaching and non-teaching staff per grant per county) shall complete the training programmes pre-defined by the technical assistance, to be provided beforehand, and shall be evaluated and receive specific certificates.
462	Reform 3. Reform of the compulsory education system to prevent and reduce early school leaving	Milestone		Entry into force of the Government Decision establishing the implementation of the National Programme to reduce early school leaving	Provision in the Government Decision indicating the entry into force of the National Programme to reduce early school leaving				Q4	2021	A Government Decision shall enter into force implementing the National Programme to reduce early school leaving, including the implementation of the Early Warning Mechanism in Education in the schools included in the programme, with time-bound, evidence-based and cost-effective targets. The National Programme for the implementation of the Early Warning Mechanism in Education shall allow for an integrated and systemic approach at local, regional and national level.
463	Reform 3. Reform of the compulsory education system to prevent and reduce early school leaving	Milestone		Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) for the use of MATE tool at national level	Provision in the MO indicating the entry into force of the use at national level of the MATE tool in all schools in primary and lower secondary education				Q4	2022	The Ministerial Order shall provide for the use of the MATE IT module at national level. The IT module identifies the risks, while the National Programme includes educational units with a high degree of drop-out risk, (rate of youth that have not finished lower secondary school and are neither in education nor in training), the ones that shall receive grants.
464	Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	Milestone		Open call for projects for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education, on the basis of 5 indicators defined in the Early Warning Mechanism in Education	Publication of the call				Q4	2021	Call for projects to award grants for educational establishments for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education, on the basis of 5 indicators defined in the Early Warning Mechanism in Education. All indicators are calculated on the basis of a weight that analyses the quantity i.e. the number of students and teachers, or the quality i.e. the marks obtained in the national assessment. Based on the vulnerability index on Early School Leaving, MATE schools were classified into three categories, depending on the priority of the intervention: high, medium and low. High-priority educational units, which need immediate intervention, are considered to be those that receive a total score between 3,5 and 5 and that have several elements of vulnerability, such as a high number of substitute teachers, a rate high dropout rate, low participation rate and poor national assessment results. These schools shall be prioritised for funding. Eligible activities shall include: -pedagogical and support activities -extra-curricular activities -minor works and purchases of goods, -grants for pupils in vulnerable groups to ensure the transition from lower secondary to upper secondary education, to complete compulsory education, -partnerships with NGOs for support and/or extra-curricular activities. Schools shall become responsible for student outcomes and for regular updates on the progress achieved, by transferring that information into the MATE data collection system.
465	Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	Target		Educational establishments awarded with the grant scheme (Lot 1)		Number	0	750	Q1	2022	750 educational establishments shall receive grants for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education, on the basis of 5 indicators defined in the Early Warning Mechanism in Education. All indicators are calculated on the basis of a weight that analyses the quantity i.e. the number of students and teachers, or the quality i.e. the marks obtained in the national assessment. Based on the vulnerability index on Early School Leaving, MATE schools were classified into three categories, depending on the priority of the intervention: high, medium and low. High-priority educational units, which need immediate intervention, are considered to be those that receive a total score between 3,5 and 5 and that have several elements of vulnerability, such as a high number of substitute teachers, a rate high dropout rate, low participation rate and poor national assessment results. These schools shall be prioritised for funding. Eligible activities shall include: -pedagogical and support activities -extra-curricular activities -minor works and purchases of goods, -grants for pupils in vulnerable groups to ensure the transition from lower secondary to upper secondary education, to complete compulsory education, -partnerships with NGOs for support and/or extra-curricular activities. Schools shall become responsible for student outcomes and for regular updates on the progress achieved, by transferring that information into the MATE data collection system.
466	Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	Target		Educational establishments awarded with the grant scheme (Lot 2)		Number	750	1 750	Q2	2023	1 000 additional educational establishments shall receive grants for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education, on the basis of 5 indicators defined in the Early Warning Mechanism in Education. All indicators are calculated on the basis of a weight that analyses the quantity, i.e. the number of students and teachers, or the quality, i.e. the marks obtained in the national assessment. Based on the vulnerability index on ESL, MATE schools were classified into three categories, depending on the priority of the intervention: high, medium and low. High-priority educational units, which need immediate intervention, are considered to be those that receive a total score between 3,5 and 5 and that have several elements of vulnerability, such as a high number of substitute teachers, a rate high dropout rate, low participation rate and poor national assessment results. These schools shall be prioritised for funding. Eligible activities include: -pedagogical and support activities -extra-curricular activities -minor works and purchases of goods, -grants for pupils in vulnerable groups to ensure the transition from lower secondary to upper secondary education, to complete compulsory education, -partnerships with NGOs for support and/or extra-curricular activities. Schools shall become responsible for student outcomes and for regular updates on the progress achieved, by transferring that information into the MATE data collection system.
467	Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	Target		Education establishments included in the drop-out programme with digitalised classrooms		Number	0	2 500	Q4	2023	2 500 educational establishments included in the drop-out programme shall be fully digitalised through the acquisition of the necessary equipment (tablets, printers, routers).
468	Investment 4. Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	Target		Reduction of the number of schools with high risk of drop outs		Number	2 500	1 875	Q2	2026	The number of schools with high risk of drop outs shall be reduced by 625. The Vulnerability index shall be used to confirm a reduction of 25% in high-priority-of-intervention cohort, with a baseline in Q2 2022, just before the lot 1 of the grants is allocated.
469	Investment 5. Trainings for users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIIR) and the Early Warning Mechanism (MATE) IT tool and systemic interventions to reduce early school leaving		Target	Users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIR) and the MATE IT tool trained		Number	0	45 000	Q1	2023	At least 45 000 users shall be trained to use SIIR and MATE IT tool. Modules of the training course shall be tailored to: -student needs and skills (inclusive education), student-centered teaching approaches, intercultural competence and formative assessment; -improving teaching conditions; -providing training for the use of the MATE computer module; -developing and implementing awareness campaigns for students and teachers, which could be adapted to students from disadvantaged groups. -improving students' socio-emotional skills for completing compulsory education.
470	Reform 4. Creation of a full professional route for higher technical education	Milestone		Entry into force of the Government Decision approving the Methodology for organizing the complete dual route and the new qualifications resulting from the complete dual route	Provision in the Government Decision indicating the entry into force of the Methodology for organizing the complete dual route and the new qualifications resulting from the complete dual route				Q3	2022	The new methodology shall: -aim to improve educational outcomes in vocational and educational training (VET); -ensure a complete educational pathway for students registered under dual secondary and third level education programmes (qualification 3-7). -ensure the correspondence between the National Qualification Framework levels, the acts of education/qualification to be issued, the type of vocational education and training programmes in Romania through which qualification levels may be achieved, the reference levels of the European Qualifications Framework, as well as the conditions of access corresponding to each level of qualification.
471	Reform 4. Creation of a full professional route for higher technical education	Target		Share of students enrolled in the professional route, in relation to the student population enrolled in secondary education		Percentage (%)	17%	40%	Q2	2026	An increase of 23% in the share of students enrolled in the professional route, in relation to the student population enrolled in secondary education. According to the data from SIIR, in the school year 2020-2021, 98 430 students were enrolled in the in 3-year professional route, representing about 17% of the total number of high school students. With the appearance of the complete dual route, it is estimated an increase in the attractiveness of the professional route, so as to register, in the school year 2025-2026, an increase of up to 40% in the number of students enrolled in the professional route (students from IPT, technological high schools, including the complete dual route), compared to the total number of high school students.
472	Investment 6. Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	Target		10 newly built integrated vocational campuses		Number	0	10	Q3	2025	10 integrated vocational campuses for vocational education and training shall be constructed. Each consortium shall receive a grant to develop campus infrastructure. The campuses shall belong to the dual education centres. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. Each integrated vocational campus built shall be equipped for digital workshops, based on a digitization concept adapted to the profile of technological high schools and universities. Hence, the universities and technological high schools that shall be involved in the partnership structure related to the dual education centres shall be able to benefit from dedicated grants.
473	Investment 6. Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	Target		Integrated, completed and operational dual education consortia linked to the requirements of economic operators in the concerned area		Number	0	10	Q1	2026	10 dual education consortia, each consisting of at least the following types of entities: local public authorities, local businesses, professional and technical schools, technical universities, to support employers to play an active role in the training of students. The selection process shall be based on a unitary methodology developed by the Ministry of Education, applicable at national level to identify the most appropriate and impactful regional partnership structures. The selection criteria shall be as follows: -Each partnership structure which shall be the basis of creation the dual education consortium is made up of the following types of entities: vocational and technical education units including dual, technological universities, economic agents and ATUs, other relevant national / European partners that may add value to the consortium; -Dual education consortia participate as functional structures, based on a collaboration agreement agreed before the submission of the participation offer; -The economic and demographic potential offered by the area where the dual education consortium shall operate; -Preferably, each partnership structure shall be located in 1/each development region, in order to ensure an equal geographical distribution at national level. -In order to ensure compliance with the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall contain an exclusion list.
474	Investment 6. Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	Target		Students enrolled in the full dual route		Number	1 847	3 000	Q2	2026	Increasing by at least 60% the number of students enrolled in the full dual route. In 2020, 1 847 students graduated the dual route. Following the measures to support the dual education centres, it is estimated that 3 000 students shall complete the full dual route. Each integrated vocational campus built shall be equipped for digital workshops, based on a digitization concept adapted to the profile of technological high schools and universities. Hence, the digital transformation shall be ensured.
475	Investment 7. Transformation of agricultural high schools into professionalisation centres	Target		57 agricultural schools supported through grants		Number	0	57	Q3	2025	57 agricultural schools shall be supported to: -Modernise, renovate and extend school laboratories, workshops and IT laboratories, canteens, accommodation for students. -Purchase biological material, agricultural equipment and machinery for performing agricultural works. -Teachers training based on a specific agriculture-related curricula developed jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education Each agricultural school shall be equipped with an IT laboratory which shall include simulators and software necessary for theoretical and practical teaching/learning activities. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture shall be responsible for providing grants and material expenditure to improve the quality of agricultural secondary education, increasing the attractiveness of educational offers. The contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. In this context, at least 90% of the renovation-related costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. Types of works needed to ensure the improvement of energy performance for both new and old buildings: - connection to the natural gas network and installation of gas-fired boilers and / or replacement of existing coal-fired and gas-fired boilers, as the case may be, in the case of old buildings; -installation of heating boilers in the case of new buildings; -installation of photovoltaic panels for new buildings that have land available for the use of this heating system.
476	Investment 7. Transformation of agricultural high schools into professionalisation centres	Target		Number of pupils registered in agricultural secondary schools		Number	18 000	20 000	Q3	2025	The number of students registered in the 57 technological high schools, with a predominantly agricultural profile, in the 2025-2026 school year shall increase by 11,1% compared to the 2020-2021 school year.
477	Reform 5. Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	Milestone		Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) to ensure standards for equipping schools with technological equipment and resources for educational purposes online and to ensure a sustainable impact of the proposed investments	Provision in the MO indicating the entry into force of the legislative framework for equipment standards				Q1	2022	The new Ministerial Order shall define the minimum standards of technical equipment for schools to ensure the quality of educational activities carried out in the virtual environment and by means of virtual technology.
478	Reform 5. Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	Milestone		Entry into force of the law setting out the profile of the future teacher on digital competence and how to assess digital competence in school examinations	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the legislative act setting the profile of the future teacher in terms of digital competences and assessment of digital competences				Q2	2022	The new law setting out the profile of the future teacher on digital competence and how to assess digital competence in school examinations shall: -Set out the digital skills profile of the professional in education, as well as the mechanism for validating teachers’ digital competence in school exams, in accordance with the European Framework of Educators’ Digital Competence 57 . -Integrate into the Framework Education Plan, Psycho-pedagogical and Master Training Programmes modules for developing the digital skills of future teachers and for familiarising and using modern teaching methods and techniques under the DigCompEdu Framework. -Establish the framework for school inspection (monitoring and evaluation of virtual teaching activities) Establish the assessment methodologies for the online environment, students’ school performance, including the development of a platform for the secure assessment of pupils’ competences.
479	Reform 5. Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	Milestone		Entry into force of the law setting out the National Digital Skills Reference Framework for pre-university education	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the National Digital Skills Reference Framework				Q2	2024	Entry into force of the law that shall set out the National Reference Framework for the improvement of the digital skills of pre-university pupils in line with DigComp: European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens 58 .
480	Investment 8. In-service training programme for teaching staff	Target		Teachers trained for online teaching by improving specific digital pedagogy skills		Number	0	100 000	Q3	2025	At least 100 000 teachers are trained in integrated digital education and in the digital transition.
481	Investment 8. In-service training programme for teaching staff	Target		Teachers publishing open educational materials on the edu.cred platform for exchange of practices		Number	0	50 000	Q3	2025	At least 50 000 teachers participating in the training under milestone 480, shall produce open educational materials published on a platform containing a collection of multimedia lessons to serve as good practice models for each curriculum area/learning discipline, for different levels of education.
482	Investment 9. Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	Target		Schools with new technological resources to equip IT laboratories		Number	0	5 200	Q3	2024	At least 5 200 schools with new technological resources for IT laboratories in accordance with the requirements in milestone 477.
483	Investment 9. Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	Target		Schools with technology infrastructure and equipment		Number	0	3 600	Q4	2024	At least 3 600 schools with new technological infrastructure and equipment in accordance with the requirements in 477.
484	Investment 9. Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	Target		Smart Labs purchased for secondary and high school education units		Number	0	1 100	Q1	2025	At least 1 100 Smart Labs acquired in accordance with the requirements in milestone 477.
485	Reform 6. Updated regulatory framework to ensure environmentally friendly design, construction and endowment standards in the pre-university education system	Milestone		Entry into force of amendments to the legislative framework to increase the quality of learning environments	Provision in the law indicating the entry into force of the new legislative framework to increase the quality of learning environments				Q2	2022	In the context of the transition to green and smart buildings, there is a need to reform the regulatory framework on the design, endowment and operation of schools. The new law shall include: -Rules on the design and operation of buildings for schools and secondary schools (Normative 010/1997); -Updating/drafting minimum endowments by updating the following legislative acts: Minimum endowment for Classes V to VIII, approved by Ministerial Order 3486/2006, Minimum endowment Rules for primary education Ministerial Order 3263/2006, Pre-school standards and regulations, Annex 1 Standards for teaching materials, and 0 Annex 2 on Minimum equipment standards, approved by Ministerial Order 3850/2010 The regulatory framework for the implementation of investments in the transition to green buildings shall be complemented by regulations on the functioning of green schools and by methodologies for the operation and organization of green schools, including adapted curriculum, that shall establish teaching landmarks for fostering students’ behaviour that respect the natural environment.
486	Investment 10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	Target		Electric minibuses purchased and in use		Number	0	3 200	Q2	2023	3 200 electric mini-buses shall be purchased and in use for the transport of students pertaining to isolated localities, notably in rural areas. The criteria taken into account for selecting the beneficiaries shall include the number of students that commute, the distance of commuting, equal geographic distribution, the electrical connection of the schools or the willingness to install a charging station. A public payment procedure for electrical minibuses shall be launched via the ISJ/UAT (County School Inspectorates/Administrative-Territorial Units).
487	Investment 10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	Target		Pre-university school area rehabilitated to become Green Schools		Number of m2	0	300 000	Q4	2025	A network of sustainable, environmentally-friendly schools with a curriculum largely based on environmental education shall be developed by the Ministry of Education. 300 000 m2 shall benefit from renovation works (thermal insulation, solar panels, laboratories of nature sciences, green spaces, facilities for selective waste collection). The selection of green schools shall aim at ensuring national coverage, both rural and urban areas. For renovations, the contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state.
488	Investment 10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	Target		New Green School area built and operational		Number of m2	0	46 400	Q4	2025	46 400 m2 green schools shall be built in identified areas of population growth by specialised construction firms. Green schools are high-energy performance schools, being built with more natural light, better ventilation and green building materials, such as carpets and paints from natural, recyclable materials. Operating costs for energy and water in a green school may be reduced by 20% to 40%. Through the type of construction and existing facilities, green schools significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption by up to 32%. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
489	Investment 11. Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	Milestone		Opening a call for tender for fitting classrooms with furniture	Publication of the tender specifications				Q3	2022	Call for tender opened for equipping the classrooms of the pre-university schools on the basis of the minimum standards for equipping classrooms/ laboratories/school workshops. In order to ensure their consistency, the Ministry of Education shall make recommendations to beneficiaries on the technical specifications to be included in the specifications. Priority shall be given to educational establishments which had not benefitted from this type of investment in the last 10 years.
490	Investment 11. Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	Milestone		Opening a call for tender for equipping science laboratories/ workshops	Publication of the tender specifications				Q3	2022	Call for tender opened for equipping the science laboratories of the pre-university schools on the basis of the minimum standards for equipping classrooms/ laboratories/school cabinets. In order to ensure their consistency, the Ministry of Education shall make recommendations to beneficiaries on the technical specifications to be included in the specifications. All school cabinets and laboratories, other than the ITC laboratories, shall be equipped with furniture, materials and equipment for didactic use, based on the endowment standards approved within the reform 6. Priority shall be given to educational establishments that have not benefitted from this type of investment in the last 10 years and that are located in rural areas.
491	Investment 11. Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	Target		Pre-university classrooms fitted with furniture		Number	0	75 000	Q2	2024	75 000 pre-university classrooms shall be equipped in accordance with the specifications under milestone 489. The endowment of the classrooms, of the laboratories and of the school cabinets shall be made on the basis of the endowment standards approved within Reform R6. The schools with damaged furniture and those in which the furniture has not changed in the last 10 years shall be prioritised.
492	Investment 11. Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	Target		Laboratories/ cabinets equipped		Number	0	10 000	Q2	2024	10 000 science laboratories shall be equipped in accordance with the specifications under milestone 490.
493	Investment 12. Grant scheme for rural school consortia	Target		Completion of rural school consortia construction works and endowment		Number	0	3	Q2	2026	Three rural school consortia shall be created to strengthen the rural educational environment by ensuring optimal conditions for teaching, while respecting social equity. The consortia shall be selected at least based on two criteria: i) if they prove the demographic decline for the last seven years of the micro region they target and ii) they prove a written commitment of the local public authorities in charge with the targeted area. Each consortium shall build the necessary infrastructure for ensuring the quality of the educational process, which shall include the creation of a modern campus with a capacity of 300-1 500 places, including the provision of after-school facilities, sports rooms and pitches, facilities for practice workshops, laboratories, spaces for non-formal activities, kitchen and accommodation spaces for pupils and teachers. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates. The selection of schools shall prioritize schools located in rural, remote and underdeveloped areas.
494	Reform 7. Reform of the governance of the pre-university education system and professionalisation of management	Milestone		Signature of the technical assistance contract for the development of the Governance Reform Action Plan, including the training and coaching programme for managers and inspectors	Signature of the contract				Q1	2022	The governance reform shall be based on the functional analysis of the vocational education and training system and shall be carried out on two levels: I Management reform and II. Decentralization The Ministry of Education shall contract external technical assistance for: -the analysis of the current governance of the pre-university education system; -the provision of Recommendations and a Plan for the improvement of the school management through a pilot programme; -the provision of guidelines for the design of the training and coaching programme. In order to increase the capacity of the pre-university education management system and to increase the autonomy of schools, a plan of measures shall be drawn up.
495	Reform 7. Reform of the governance of the pre-university education system and professionalisation of management	Milestone		Publication and implementation of a Governance Reform Action Plan, including the training and coaching programme for managers and inspectors	Adoption of the Governance Reform Action plan				Q1	2023	The Governance Action Plan shall reform the human resources policies/recruitment of educational managers and shall be phased in by: -Review of the Director competition methodology to link it to the methodology for assessing pre-university educational managers and help increase the attractiveness of the director function among professionals. -The transfer of competences from the County School Inspectorates to the County Quality Assurance Directorates and the Subordinate School Inspection of ARACIP. -Grant scheme to support schools for piloting the approach, based on an application that shall be evaluated by experts in the Ministry of Education. Schools participating in the pilot programme shall first consult the Board of the pupils and parents. The pilot programme involving the 60 schools shall consider school curricula, governance and management and identify areas where the management and quality of teaching/learning may be improved.

O.3. Description of the reforms and investments for the loan

VII.Vocational education and training (Dual system):

Investment 13. Equipping of IT laboratories in vocational education and training (VET) schools

The objective of the investment is to support the digital transformation of schools belonging to the VET network and facilitate e-learning. It includes investments in digital infrastructures for teaching and digital teaching tools for 909 VET schools.

The investment also includes the purchase of classroom IT equipment and covers underlying infrastructure equipment necessary to use the digital teaching equipment. The implementation of the investments shall take place through the County School Inspectorate or through local authorities or schools which are expected to launch calls for the provision of IT equipment and laboratories within the VET education units.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Investment 14. Equipping of practice workshops in VET schools

The objective of this investment is to equip school workshops within VET education units, including dual training units (and excluding those with an agricultural profile, which are subject of Investment 7).

Through the funding scheme, each of the 909 VET schools shall benefit from a grant of a maximum amount of EUR 100 000 in order to equip the practice workshops according to their specialization and concrete needs. One-third of the investment shall be dedicated to equipping the workshops with digital equipment.

Procurement shall be done through the County School Inspectorates or through the administrative territorial units/schools.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

VIII.Digitalisation of education:

Investment 15. Online School: Assessment platform and content development

This investment aims to provide an integrated approach to teaching activities online or in special situations by ensuring the complementarity of online hours with learning platforms, digital manuals and supporting materials needed for a complete and complex process. Therefore, a digital ecosystem for the development of digital skills at school level shall be created as well as an underpinning framework for remote assessment and testing.

The investment shall be implemented through a competitive call for projects for the development of the Open Educational Resources. The investment shall finance: i) the expansion of the current digital platform for textbooks by adding teaching support for all disciplines and all classes of secondary education, ii) the creation of digital educational content for three different levels of knowledge deepening (remedial, accessible, performance), iii) the development of inclusive educational resources for pupils with disabilities, athletes, hospitalised pupils and iv) the development of a platform for assessment based on European best practices.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2025.

Investment 16. Digitisation of universities and their preparation for the digital professions of the future

The objective of this investment is to improve the communication between universities and students and to create the conditions for teamwork in the digital environment, to automise the internal administrative processes in universities, to improve the educational content system management and to create an RDI infrastructure for addressing advanced technologies.

The investment shall be implemented through two actions:

I.The digitalisation of the National Council of Rectors (CNR) which shall be achieved through the operationalisation of an integrated national platform which shall connect 11 university centres with the aim of transforming universities into regional hubs for economic development, skills required by the labour market, bridging the gap between the economic environment and local authorities. CNR’s capacity to represent Romanian universities at national and international level shall be increased through the application/ development/ deployment of digital technologies in the academic space using principles such as Good Practice - Smart Academic Life and the Digital Applications Smart Governance, Smart People, and Smart Influence. The concept of a smart campus integrates new learning models, smart resource sharing and the use of buildings and transport. In terms of smart resource sharing, best practices concern the sharing of IT storage capacity between universities, the free provision of educational resources, and the exchange of information. The concept of smart campus shall be used for higher education through IT. A smart campus shall be expressed in four areas: learning, sharing, buildings and transport, where all these themes may be both material and immaterial. In addition, CNR’s digitalisation shall also be achieved through the operationalisation of a single interactive digital platform for the design, development, integration, acquisition and management of databases at national level. These databases shall comprise: Educational and research resources of Romanian universities, students, graduates, institutional agreements of Romanian universities with universities abroad, collaborations of Romanian universities in alliances/networks of universities, contributions of Romanian universities to European innovation capacity, collaborations with the socio-economic environment at regional, national and international level, interconnected systems allowing access, storage, sharing, re-use and integration with European systems (e.g. European Open Science Cloud — EOSC).

II.Award of grants to 60 universities for several types of investments:

-operationalisation of University Digital Centres

-digital competence training programmes

-development of students’ entrepreneurial skills for the digital sector

-career guidance programmes for students with a view to choosing emerging ICT occupations

-training programmes for new teaching/assessment skills in a hybrid system

-advanced digital skills development for 1 000 undergraduate and master’s students

-training for developing professional and digital skills of bachelor, master and doctoral students through participation in training programmes, linked to the European Digital Competence Framework; developing the digital skills of teaching and research staff through participation in research and practice projects, linked to the European Framework for Teachers’ Digital Competence; developing advanced digital skills of specialists in the IT area for emerging technologies — Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things; conducting upskilling training programmes via Digital Innovation Hubs.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

IX.Infrastructure:

Investment 17. Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens, recreation facilities)

The objective of this investment is the construction/upgrading of 3 types of infrastructures in university campuses, in line with safety and quality standards, to ensure the social/inclusive dimension of higher education.

The investment shall cover:

-The construction of 5 020 and extension/modernisation of 14 500 recreation and reading places in university campuses, to be finalised by 31 March 2024;

-The construction of 3 500 and extension/modernisation of 3 125 canteens in university campuses, to be finalised by 30 June 2024;

-Construction of 4 600 and extension/modernisation of 14 530 accommodation buildings in university campuses, for students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, with disabilities, some ethnic minorities or single-parent families, etc. who shall be given priority in obtaining a place on newly built university campuses. The works shall be finalised by 30 September 2024.

A final target indicates that at least 40% of the new and modernised facilities shall be directed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds, by 30 September 2025.

When it comes to renovations, the contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. In this context, at least 90% of the costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

X.School governance:

Investment 18. Training and coaching programme for school managers and inspectors

The objective of this investment is to develop an updated training and coaching programme for managers and inspectors to professionalise educational management. The training programme shall be designed based on recommendations made by experts who shall carry out a functional analysis of the governance of the education system and of European best practices.

Training for school managers (6 176 directors and 2 924 deputy directors) and school inspectors (900), for a period of one and a half years, with the aim to promote institutional, financial and human resource leadership and management, administration and legislation to help develop the capacity of their educational institution to increase students’ performance. The training and coaching programme, with mentoring and control functions, shall specifically aim at creating the skills needed to manage the education system in a decentralised environment through accredited training providers with experts in Human Resources.

The implementation of the investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

O.4. Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for the loan

Sequential number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone/Target	Name	Qualitative indicators (for milestones)	Quantitative indicators (for targets)				Indicative timeline for completion		Description of each milestone and target
					Unit of measure	Base line	Goal	Quarter		Year
496	Investment 13. Equipping of IT laboratories in vocational education and training (VET) schools	Target	VET educational schools equipped with computer laboratories		Number	0	909	Q3		2023	909 VET schools shall be equipped with digital infrastructures and tools for teaching. The investment includes the purchase of classroom equipment (such as projectors, video-recording systems, sound systems, cameras and audio equipment to record lessons, software equipment to archive teaching digital resources) and covers underlying infrastructure equipment (such as electro-installations, LAN and wi-fi networks) necessary to use the digital teaching equipment.
497	Investment 14. Equipping of practice workshops in VET schools	Target	VET educational units equipped with functional practice laboratories		Number	0	909	Q3		2023	909 VET educational units equipped with functional practice laboratories. Local authorities shall launch support schemes to equip school workshops within VET education units, including dual training units and excluding those with an agricultural profile, through county councils and mayors. Through the funding scheme, each VET school shall benefit from a grant of up to EUR 100 000 to equip the practice workshops according to their specialization and concrete needs. EUR 30 million of the investment shall be dedicated to equipping the workshops with digital equipment (simulators).
498	Investment 15. Online School: Assessment platform and content development	Milestone	Online Student Assessment ePlatform is operational	ePlatform for the secure assessment of the skills of pupils is operational and used for assessments of all students (except VET students)				Q1		2024	Online Student Assessment ePlatform shall become operational. The development of the platform shall consider the average number of items in any subject class, scientific product (where psychometrics skills should be required) and software (drawn up according to the scientific needs analysis and the scientific scheme developed by experts in this field (curriculum testing, skills). The software shall also include a mobile client application (for students and teachers), as well as online supervision features.
499	Investment 15. Online School: Assessment platform and content development	Target	Open Educational Resources (OER) developed (teaching materials)		Number	0	67 000	Q1		2025	67 000 Open Educational Resources (OER) developed (teaching materials). The development of OER shall focus on: i) the expansion of the current digital platform for textbooks by adding teaching support for all disciplines and all classes of secondary education; ii) the creation of digital educational content for three different levels of knowledge deepening (remedial, accessible, performance); iii) the development of inclusive educational resources for pupils with disabilities, athletes, hospitalised pupils. The OERs related to this investment shall be developed by experienced professionals, while those under investment I8 are experimental, being part of the final evaluation of the teachers participating in the programme.
500	Investment 16. Digitisation of universities and preparation for the digital professions of the future	Milestone	Signature of contracts for grants for innovative technology centres in universities	Signature of contracts				Q2		2022	Signature of contracts for grants to 60 universities to finance integrated measures to improve digital infrastructure and develop the competences of students and university teaching staff: -operationalisation of University Digital Centres, -digital competence training programmes, -development of students entrepreneurial skills for the digital sector, -career guidance programmes for students with a view to choosing emerging ICT occupations, -training programmes for new teaching/assessment skills in a hybrid system, advanced digital skills development for 1 000 undergraduate and master’s students.
501	Investment 16. Digitisation of universities and their preparation for the digital professions of the future	Milestone	Signature of contracts for a grant scheme for the digitalisation of the National Council of Rectors	Signature of contracts				Q4		2022	Grants shall be awarded for the digitisation of the National Council of Rectors (NCR). The digitalisation of the NCR shall be achieved through: a) A national network infrastructure: A nationally integrated platform for academic news and events shall be developed. The Integrated Academic News Platform shall interconnect 11 Regional Multimedia Centres. designed to support the regional development and promotion of universities, targeting both academia and local partnerships that support area-based economic development, using the Open Science, Open Source principles, encouraging innovation, sharing and collaboration. b) NCR’s capacity to represent Romanian universities at national and international level shall be increased through the application/ development/ deployment of digital technologies in the academic space using principles such as Good Practice — Smart Academic Life and the Digital Applications Smart Governance, Smart People, Smart Influence. NCR shall finalise the concept of a smart campus that integrates new learning models, smart resource sharing and the use of buildings and transport. c) A single interactive digital platform including information management systems through Management Information System (MIS) shall be used for the design, development, integration, acquisition and management of databases at national level.
502	Investment 16. Digitisation of universities and preparation for the digital professions of the future	Target	Universities supported by new innovative technology centres to create the new skills of the future		Number	0	60	Q4		2025	Universities supported by new innovative technology centres to create the new skills of the future through continuous innovation of study programmes in accordance with the requirements in milestone 500.
503	Investment 17. Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens, recreation facilities)	Target	Recreation and reading places constructed or upgraded and in use		Number	0	19 520	Q1		2024	Construction of 5 020 and extension/ modernisation of 14 500 places in university campuses to create new recreational and reading places, particularly for disadvantaged students. In this context, at least 90% of the renovation-related costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements.
504	Investment 17. Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	Target	Canteens constructed or upgraded and in use		Number	0	6 625	Q2		2024	Construction of 3 500 places and extension/modernisation of 3 125 places of university campuses to create new canteens. The contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. In this context, at least 90% of the renovation-related costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements. Newly constructed buildings shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
505	Investment 17. Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	Target	Newly created or upgraded in-use accommodation places		Number	0	19 130	Q3		2024	Construction of 4 600 places and extension/modernisation of 14 530 places of university campuses to create new accommodation for students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, with disabilities, some ethnic minorities or single-parent families, who shall be given priority in obtaining a place on newly built university campuses The contracts shall include a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation of the building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. In this context, at least 90% of the renovation-related costs shall pertain to energy efficiency improvements. Newly constructed places shall comply with the objective of achieving a primary energy demand (PED) at least 20% lower than the NZEB requirement according to national guidelines, which shall be ensured through energy performance certificates.
506	Investment 17. Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	Target	At least 40% of the new and modernised facilities directed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds		Percentage (%)	0	40%	Q3		2025	At least 40% of the number of 19 520 recreational spaces, 6 625 canteen places and 19 130 accommodation places shall be for students from disadvantaged background. Students who benefit from the social scholarship shall have priority for obtaining places in the modernized university infrastructure. This condition shall be stipulated as mandatory for public universities, in the financing guide for the call for projects for the modernization of the university infrastructure. Universities shall send annual reports to the Ministry of Education on the use of modernized infrastructure.
507	Investment 18. Training and coaching programme for school managers and inspectors	Target	Directors, deputy directors and inspectors with completed training and coaching programme		Number	0	10 000	Q1		2026	An estimated number of 6 176 directors, 2 924 deputy directors and 900 inspectors with management functions shall participate in the training programme. The training programme shall include institutional, financial and human resources leadership and management, administration and legislation, and help develop the capacity of their educational institution to increase students’ performance. The training programme shall be designed on the basis of the recommendations made by experts who shall carry out the functional analysis of the governance of the education system and of European best practices.

1.2.Estimated total cost of Recovery and resilience plan

The estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan of Romania is EUR 29 181 842 750.

2.SECTION 2: FINANCIAL SUPPORT

2.1.Financial contribution

The instalments referred to in Article 2(2) shall be organised in the following manner:

2.1.1.First Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

146	C7.R2 Transition to the EU-2025 connectivity targets and stimulation of the private investment for the deployment of very high-capacity networks	M	Entry into force of the 5G network security law
69	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Railway infrastructure development and rail traffic management	M	Adoption of the strategy for the development of railway infrastructure 2021-2025 and application of the action plan
113	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	T	Decommissioning of coal-fired power-production capacity
142	C7.R1 Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	M	Task-force to implement and monitor Digital Transformation reforms and investments established and operational
150	C7.R3 Ensuring cybersecurity of public and private entities owning critical value infrastructure	M	Adoption of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2021-2026
211	C8.R6 Reform of the public pension system	M	Contract technical assistance provided by an entity that shall be selected according to the national public procurement legislation
212	C8.R6 Reform of the public pension system	M	Entry into force of a minister’s order setting up a monitoring committee in charge of reviewing, with the support of the technical assistance provider the pension system and the policy interventions in the pension system
220	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Number of cash registers connected to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system
366	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	M	Adoption of criteria for prioritising investments in integrated community centres
426	C14.R6 Stepping up the fight against corruption	M	Entry into force of the legislative act approving new National Anti-Corruption Strategy
450	C14.I5 Monitoring and implementation of the plan	M	Audit and Controls: information for monitoring implementation of recovery and resilience plan
451	C14.I5 Monitoring and implementation of the plan	M	Entry into force of a Government Ordinance enacting the legal mandate of the Ministry of Investments and European Project (MIPE), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Audit Authority (AA)
462	C15.R3 Reform of the compulsory education system to prevent and reduce early school leaving	M	Entry into force of the Government Decision establishing the implementation of the National Programme to reduce early school leaving
464	C15.I4 Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	M	Open call for projects for the support of students for the transition from lower to upper secondary education, on the basis of 5 indicators defined in the Early Warning Mechanism in Education
		Instalment Amount	EUR 2 037 146 414

2.1.2.Second Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

124	C6.I1 New capacities for electricity generation from renewable sources	M	Opening a call for tender for projects for the production of energy from renewable sources (wind and solar)
143	C7.R1 Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	M	Completed analysis for the options for the government cloud architecture
191	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	M	Entry into force of the legal framework for the compulsory enrolment of legal persons taxpayers in SPV (Virtual Private Space)
195	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	M	Operationalization/approval of the Joint Action Plan between the National Agency for Fiscal Administration and Labour Inspection to prevent and limit the phenomenon of grey/black work evasion
213	C8.R6 Reform of the public pension system	M	Entry into force of the amendments to the regulatory framework to ensure the sustainability of Pillar 2 pensions
387	C13.R4 Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers	M	Entry into force of legislation, and its implementing rules, for the domestic workers voucher system
401	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Entry into force of the methodologies and procedures to improve public policy rationale and planning and administrative simplification
404	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Entry into force of a legislative act operationalising a structure to ensure the implementation of an effective regulatory quality control mechanism
421	C14.R5 Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	M	Entry into force of the law approving the strategy for the development of the judiciary 2022-2025
430	C14.R6 Stepping up the fight against corruption	M	Entry into force of the law transposing the directive on whistle-blowers’ protection
433	C14.R8 Reforming the national procurement system	M	Entry into force of the amendment of national legislation on remedies (Law No. 101/2016)
465	C15.I4 Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	T	Educational establishments awarded with the grant scheme (Lot 1)
477	C15.R5 Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	M	Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) to ensure standards for equipping schools with technological equipment and resources for educational purposes online and to ensure a sustainable impact of the proposed investments
494	C15.R7 Reform of the governance of the pre-university education system and professionalisation of management	M	Signature of the technical assistance contract for the development of the Governance Reform Action Plan, including the training and coaching programme for managers and inspectors
65	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	M	Adoption of the National Road Safety Strategy
114	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	M	Entry into force of the Decarbonisation law adopting the coal/lignite phase-out calendar
144	C7.R1 Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	M	Entry into force of the law for the governance of cloud services for the government area
145	C7.R1 Development of a unitary framework for defining the architecture of a government cloud system	M	Entry into force of the interoperability law
153	C7.I1 Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	M	Signature of the contract to implement the investment based on the call for tenders procedure to implement the investment
147	C7.R2 Transition to EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulate private investment for the deployment of very high capacity networks	M	Publication of the call for tender for the authorisation of telecommunications operators to grant 5G licences
200	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Entry into force of the government decision for the approval of the methodology for drawing up, monitoring and reporting of the budgetary programmes
355	C12.R2 Increased capacity to undertake investments in health infrastructure	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework establishing the National Agency for Infrastructure Development in Health (ANDIS)
356	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework for the Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health
357	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Entry into force of legislation for the strategic framework for the development of human resources in health
413	C14.R2 Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	M	Operationalisation of an Inter-Institutional Climate Committee
422	C14.R5 Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	M	Entry into force of the law amending the powers of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets
456	C15-I1 Construction, equipping and operationalisation of 110 crèches	M	Signature of contracts with public operators (municipalities) for the construction, equipment and operationalisation of 110 crèches
478	C15.R5 Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	M	Entry into force of the law setting out the profile of the future teacher on digital competence and how to assess digital competence in school examinations
485	C15.R6 Updated regulatory framework to ensure environmentally friendly design, construction and endowment standards in the pre-university education system	M	Entry into force of amendments to the legislative framework to increase the quality of learning environments
		Instalment Amount	EUR 2 147 491 242

2.1.3.Third Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

22	C2.R1 Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	M	Adoption of the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030
23	C2.R1 Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	M	Entry into force of amended Ministerial Ordinances laying down binding rules for afforestation and reforestation foreseen in the National Forest Strategy 2020-2030
148	C7.R2 Transition to the EU-2025 connectivity targets and stimulation of the private investment for the deployment of very high-capacity networks	M	Recommendations from the EU connectivity toolbox are implemented
149	C7.R2 Transition to the EU 2025 connectivity targets and stimulation of the private investment for the deployment of very high capacity networks	M	Assignment of the rights of use of radio spectrum
152	C7.R4 Increasing digital competence for public service and digital education throughout life for citizens	M	Entry into force of the ministerial order of the Minister of Labour and the National Institute of Statistics President for the definition of new digital occupations in the Classification of Occupations (COR)
384	C13.R3 Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	M	Entry into force of the law approving the implementing rules for the application of VMI
410	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Entry into force of guidelines for appropriate use and enforcement of the Single Register of Interest Transparency (RUTI)
411	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Entry into force of the Methodology for the use of Emergency Ordinances
412	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Entry into force of the legislative amendments to ensure publication of the full text of the laws after amendments
470	C15.R4 Creation of a full professional route for higher technical education	M	Entry into force of the Government Decision approving the Methodology for organizing the complete dual route and the new qualifications resulting from the complete dual route
489	C15.I11 Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	M	Opening a call for tender for fitting classrooms with furniture
490	C15.I11 Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	M	Opening a call for tender for equipping science laboratories/ cabinets
66	C4.R1. Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	M	Entry into force of the road safety law - legislation on monitoring, enforcement and sanctions on road safety offences
72	C4.I1. Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	M	Signature of contracts for 50% of the works related to modernisation, upgrade and renewal of railways infrastructure
115	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	T	Decommissioning of lignite-fired power-production capacity
121	C6.R3 Improving corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the sector	M	Improving corporate governance of State-owned companies in the energy sector
151	C7.R3 Ensuring cybersecurity of public and private entities owning critical value infrastructure	M	Entry into force of the law on Defence and Cyber Security of Romania
192	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	T	Additional legal persons taxpayers enrolled in SPV
193	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	M	Entry into force of the applicable legal framework defining the risk criteria for the classification of taxpayers. The legal framework shall be approved through an Order of the ANAF President
194	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	M	Entry into force of the amended legal framework in the field of activity of tax inspection bodies
199	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Entry into force of the amended regulatory framework to ensure multi-annual budgetary planning for the significant public investment projects and have an ex-post evaluation of expenditure reviews made by the Fiscal Council
205	C8.R4 Review of the tax framework	M	Analysis of Romania’s tax system with the objective to produce recommendations to ensure that the tax system contributes to promote and preserve sustainable economic growth
206	C8.R4 Review of the tax framework	M	Entry into force of amendments to the Fiscal Code gradually reducing the scope of the special tax regime for micro-enterprises
215	C8.R6 Reform of the public pension system	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework for reducing expenditure on special pensions
221	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Number of cash registers connected to the National Agency for Fiscal Administration IT system
222	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Share of the number of desk audits reported on the total audits carried out by the tax administration — 30%
230	C8.I4 Implementation of electronic customs	T	Upgraded hardware and software infrastructure
288	C10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	M	Entry into force of legislation in the field of sustainable urban mobility
289	C10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	M	Entry into force of the ministerial order establishing a structure for the provision of technical assistance for the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) established and operational
294	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	M	Signature of contracts for the renewal of public transport fleets (procurement of clean vehicles)
298	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	M	Signature of contracts for the provision of ITS/other ICT infrastructure
301	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	M	Signature of contracts for building electric vehicle recharging points
304	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	M	Signature of contracts for investments in cycling infrastructure at local/metropolitan level
351	C12.R1 Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	M	Entry into force of the ministerial order for the performance and quality indicators to be used for the selection of the medical units benefiting from the Health Quality Fund
358	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Development of human resources in health
378	C13. R1 Creating a new legal framework to prevent the separation of children from their families	M	Entry into force of a legislative act necessary to prevent the separation of children from the family and support for vulnerable families
380	C13. R2 Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	M	Entry into force of the legislative act for the implementation and operationalisation of the Guide toAccelerating the De-institutionalisation Process
381	C13. R2 Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	M	Entry into force of legislation to support the implementation of the adopted national strategy for the prevention of institutionalisation
424	C14.R5 Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	M	Amendment of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code
439	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	M	Entry into force of updated legislation for state-owned companies
440	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	M	Operationalisation of the task force at the Centre of the Government for Corporate Governance Policy Coordination and Monitoring
449	C14.I4 Increasing the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the national recovery and resilience plan and to monitor related reforms	M	Entry into force of social dialogue legislation, providing for meaningful and timely social dialogue and collective bargaining, in line with the ILO Recommendations
453	C15.R2 Unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education system	M	- Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) adopting the Cross-sectoral Framework Programme - Entry into force of the MO regulating the establishment, organisation and operation of complementary early-childhood education services
463	C15.R3 Reform of the compulsory education system to prevent and reduce early school leaving	M	Entry into force of the Ministerial Order (MO) for the use of MATE tool at national level
		Instalment Amount	EUR 2 047 491 242

2.1.4.Fourth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

207	C8.R4 Review of the tax framework	M	Entry into force of - Amendments to the Fiscal Code (Law nr.227/2015), to reduce and/ or eliminate other tax incentives with the objective to simplify the tax system, make it more effective, transparent and fair by 2024 - Legislation to expand the green taxation
214	C8.R6 Reform of the public pension system	M	Entry into force of the new law on the pension system, replacing the provisions of Law No 127/2019
458	C15.I2 Setting up, equipping and operationalising 412 complementary services for disadvantaged groups	M	Signature of contracts for setting up, equipping and operationalising complementary services for disadvantaged groups
469	C15.I5 Trainings for users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIIR) and the Early Warning Mechanism (MATE) IT tool and systemic interventions to reduce early school leaving	T	Users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIR) and the MATE IT tool trained
495	C15.R7 Reform of the governance of the pre-university education system and professionalisation of management	M	Publication and implementation of a Governance Reform Action Plan, including the training and coaching programme for managers and inspectors
24	C2.R1 Reform of forest management and governance systems through the development of a new National Forest Strategy and subsequent legislation	M	Entry into force of the legislative acts amending and supplementing the existing legislation on forests
122	C6.R2 Improving corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the energy sector	M	Listing of at least 15% shares of Hidroelectrica completed
59	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	M	Entry into force of the law for the implementation of a new distance-based charging system for heavy duty vehicles (trucks), and higher ownership taxes for most polluting passengers vehicles (cars/buses/coaches) based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle and green taxation principle
71	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Shipping strategy	M	Adoption of the Shipping strategy
76	C4.I2 Railways rolling stock	M	Signature of contracts following open and competitive tenders
116	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	M	Entry into force of the New Energy Law
158	C7.I3 Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	T	Public health institutions digitalised
163	C7.I4 Digitalisation of the judiciary	M	Virtualization and centralization of business applications operationalised
172	C7. I7 Implementation of the eForms electronic forms in public procurement	M	Implementation of electronic national forms in public procurement procedures in line with EU legislation
201	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Completion of the spending review in health and education sectors
202	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Adoption of a multi-annual strategy and calendar for a systematic expenditure review across all sectors
219	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Staff training on the risk management system
227	C8.I3 Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration	M	Modernisation of hardware and software infrastructure and of the support infrastructure for the provision of electronic services to taxpayers
228	C8.I3 Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration	M	Increased Cyber security of the Ministry of Finance’s and ANAF computer system
229	C8.I3 Ensuring the capacity to respond to current and future information challenges, including in the context of the pandemic, through the digital transformation of Ministry of Finance/National Agency for Fiscal Administration	T	80% of IT hardware and software infrastructure is not more than 4 years old
352	C12.R1 Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	M	Entry into force of the Government Decision for a new model framework contract governing the conditions for granting medical assistance, medicines and medical devices, assistive devices and technologies within the framework of the health insurance system
367	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Practices of family doctors or associations of primary care practices equipped or renovated, prioritising practices located in marginalised regions and municipalities
368	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Mobile medical units equipped for breast and cervical cancer screening
393	C13. I1 Creation of a network of day centres for children at risk of separation	M	Delivery of a mapping of needs, available services and infrastructure facilities for children at risk of separation from families, in particular in vulnerable communities
402	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	A new strategic management and strategic planning system is operational in all ministries
416	C14.R3 Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	M	Ex-post analysis of the (pilot) national competition for the selection of two civil service categories in the central administration
420	C14.R4 Developing of a fair unitary pay system in the public sector	M	Entry into force of the new legal framework on remuneration of civil servants (Law on Unitarian Pay)
423	C14.R5 Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	M	Entry into force of the “Justice laws” (laws on the status of magistrates, judicial organisation, Superior Council of Magistracy)
429	C14.R6 Stepping up the fight against corruption	T	Occupation rate of 85% of National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutor positions attained
434	C14.R8 Reforming the national procurement system	M	Entry into force of the Public Procurement Strategy including horizontal measures to support the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plan
441	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	M	Publication of the Monitoring Dashboard with financial and non-financial targets and performance indicators for all categories of public companies (including key sectors such as transport, energy, public utilities)
466	C15.I4 Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	T	Educational establishments awarded with the grant scheme (Lot 2)
486	C15.I10 Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	T	Electric minibuses purchased and in use
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 833 123 426

2.1.5.Fifth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

123	C6.R3 Green budgeting	M	Finalising and applying a green budgetary planning methodology
452	C15.R1 Elaboration and adoption of the legislative package for the implementation of the Project "Educated Romania	M	Entry into force of the legislative package for the implementation of the ‘Educated Romania’ project
25	C2.I1 Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	T	New areas of afforested or reforested land
27	C2.I1 Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	T	New areas of urban forests created
73	C4.I1 Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	M	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works related to modernisation, upgrade and renewal of railways infrastructure
117	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	M	Signature of contracts for Difference for renewable sources
203	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	The draft budget includes the results of spending analyses in the areas of health and education
216	C8.I1 Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	M	Digital services and critical electronic systems are operational
231	C8.I4 Implementation of electronic customs	M	Award of contract for new IT systems for customs
234	C8.I5 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Update of the IT application BUGET_NG.
235	C8.I6 Economic modelling instrument (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit) to improve institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditures	M	Economic modelling tool (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit model) operational
236	C8.I6 Economic modelling instrument (Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit) to improve institutional capacity to forecast pension expenditures	T	Extending the team from 1 to 8 experts and improving the capacity of medium and long term structural pension reform by providing 8 people with a training to use the Pension Reform Options Simulations toolkit model
239	C8.I9 Supporting the process of assessing pension files	M	All pension files recalculated
359	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Entry into force of an order of the Minister of Health setting up a framework of differentiated recognition of professional merits and reward of health professionals
364	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Entry into force of the joint order of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) for a mechanism to prioritise budget allocations made by the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS)
397	C13.I3 Operationalisation of the introduction of work cards for domestic workers	M	Entry into operation of a functional digital platform for the use of vouchers for domestic workers
417	C14.R3 Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	M	Completion of at least two national civil servant recruitment competition annually for a minimum of 3 civil service categories/grades
436	C14.R8 Reforming the national procurement system	T	Specialised training in the field of public procurement provided
437	C14.R8 Reforming the national procurement system	M	The Public Procurement Electronic System (SEAP) system is interconnected and interoperable with other databases
442	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	T	Reduction of interim/temporary management board appointments by 50% for state-owned companies at central level
444	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	T	Reduction of interim/temporary management board appointments by 10% for state-owned companies at local level
467	C15.I4 Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	T	Education establishments included in the drop-out programme with digitalised classrooms
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 797 491 242

2.1.6.ixth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

353	C12.R1 Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	Milestone	Entry into force of the legislative amendment required to include budget spending review outcomes in the budgetary process
459	C15.I2 Setting up, equipping and operationalising 412 complementary services for disadvantaged groups	T	Complementary services set up, equipped and operational
60	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	M	Entry into force of the law to boost the use of clean vehicles and fleet renewal programmes by domestic users, private companies and public institutions
392	C13.R5 Ensure minimum wage setting	M	Entry into force of the regulation governing the new system for minimum wage setting
360	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	T	Building and fully equipping 2 new skill development centres for public healthcare staff
385	C13.R3 Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	T	Number of additional eligible family recipients of the improved scheme
374	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Increase in preventive consultations
375	C12.I2 Development of public hospital infrastructure	T	Public hospitals benefiting from equipment and materials to reduce the risk of infections
125	C6.I1 New capacities for electricity generation from renewable sources	T	Additional capacity installed from renewable sources (wind and solar)
460	C15.I3 Development of framework programme for the continuous training of professionals in early-childhood education services	T	Trainers in the curricular and monitoring fields trained
479	C15.R5 Adoption of the legislative framework for the digitalisation of education	M	Entry into force of the law setting out the National Digital Skills Reference Framework for pre-university education
491	C15.I11 Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	T	Pre-university classrooms fitted with furniture
492	C15.I11 Provision of facilities for pre-university classrooms and school laboratories/workshops	T	Laboratories/ cabinets equipped
204	C8.R3 Improving the budgetary programming mechanism	M	Entry into force of the law for tasking the Fiscal Council with a regular impact assessment of spending reviews and the preparation of an implementation report
218	C8.I1 Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	M	Online platform for auction of real estate and mobile property with significant value (according to the asset type) operationalised
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 114 735 960

2.1.7.Seventh Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

29	C2.I2 Development of modern production capacities of forest reproduction material	T	New and renovated tree nurseries operational (established or rehabilitated)
482	C15.I9 Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	T	Schools with new technological resources to equip IT laboratories
67	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	T	Installed and functional equipment to increase speed enforcement and compliance with road safety rules
74	C4.I1 Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	T	Completion of the works for at least 50% of the total railways infrastructure investments
154	C7.I1 Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	T	Public institutions connected through the government cloud
159	C7.I3 Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	M	Telemedicine system deployed
167	C7.I5 Digitalisation in the field of the environment	M	Increased capacity to supervise, control and monitor forests through an integrated IT system
169	C7. I6 Digitalisation in employment and social protection	M	Entry into operation of REGES online system
173	C7. I8 Qualified electronic identity card and digital signature	T	Citizens for whom an e-ID card is issued
175	C7.I9 Digitisation of the non-governmental organisations sector	T	Completed projects for NGOs digitalisation
182	C7.I14 Increase of the resilience and cybersecurity of Internet Service Provider infrastructure services provided to public authorities in Romania	T	Hubs that shall allow access to Internet Service Provider (ISP) services for central and local public-interest institutions and entities
209	C8.R5 Establishment and operationalisation of the National Development Bank	M	Operationalisation of the National Development Bank
217	C8.I1 Facilitating taxpayers’ compliance through the development of digital services	T	Services to corporate tax payers available online
233	C8.I4 Implementation of electronic customs	T	Percentage of customs clearance activity, exchange of information between economic operators and customs authorities, exchange of information between customs authorities in the Member States performed electronically
238	C8.I8 Operationalisation of the National Development Bank	M	Purchase of software (licences) and hardware (laptops), IT services for staff, training for the staff of the National Development Bank and for the Ministry of Finance staff
240	C8.I10 Operational efficiency and advanced e-services through digitalisation of the pension system	M	IT system in the National Public Pensions Agency operational
295	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Additional zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams and minibuses) (number of vehicles)
299	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Administrative Territorial Units with developed/ expanded systems operational— Intelligent Transport Systems and e-ticketing/ other ICT infrastructures
302	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Additional recharging points for electric vehicles
305	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Operational cycling runways (km) at local/metropolitan level
365	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	M	Operationalisation of the transparenta.ms.ro portal on the use of public resources
369	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Newly built/renovated and equipped facilities providing outpatient care
376	C12.I2 Development of public hospital infrastructure	T	New-born intensive care units equipped, including with new-born ambulances (for the regional centres)
388	C13.R4 Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers	T	Beneficiaries (hiring domestic workers)
390	C13.R4 Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers	T	Domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards
394	C13.I1 Creation of a network of day centres for children at risk of separation	T	Day centres to prevent the separation of children from the family
395	C13.I2 Rehabilitation, renovation and development of social infrastructure for persons with disabilities	T	Modernised community services for persons with disabilities
405	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	M	Operational IT Platform to monitor the innovation in public administration
408	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	T	25% of the presentation and motivation tools satisfy the set quality criteria (i.e. are assessed at an excellent or satisfactory level) as per the Government methodology
418	C14.R3 Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	M	Entry into force of two legislative acts on the human resources management
431	C14.R7 Evaluation and update of legislation on the integrity framework	M	Entry into force of the consolidated laws on integrity
432	C14.R7 Evaluation and update of legislation on the integrity framework	M	Approved revised version of the codes of ethics and conduct for the Government, in addition to the existing ones for the civil service and adoption and implementation of enforcement measures
483	C15.I9 Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	T	Schools with technology infrastructure and equipment
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 034 850 903

2.1.8.Eighth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

208	C8.R4 Review of the tax framework	M	Entry into force of amendments to the Fiscal Code (Law nr.227/2015) gradually reducing tax incentives for personnel employed in the construction sector
438	C14.R8 Reforming the national procurement system	M	Operational e-procurement system
484	C15.I9 Ensuring digital technology equipment and resources for schools	T	Smart Labs purchased for secondary and high school education units
118	C6.I1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	M	Signature of contracts for Difference for renewable sources
156	C7.I2 Cloud development and migration	T	Governmental digital service applications migrated into Infrastructure-as-a-Service - IaaS/Platform-as-a-Service -PaaS/
160	C7.I3 Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	M	New PIA (Health insurance IT platform) is operational
161	C7.I3 Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	T	Digitalisation of 200 public health facilities
176	C7.I9 Digitisation of the non-governmental organisations sector	M	Resource Centre for the Digital Transformation of the NGOs
361	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	T	Persons having participated in training on health service management
362	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	T	Persons having participated in trainings on human resources management in health institutions
363	C12.R3 Increased capacity for health management and human resources in health	T	Health professionals having participated in integrity training programmes
370	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Newly built/renovated and equipped integrated community centres, including appropriately staffed
371	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Underserved communities, including Roma, have access to community healthcare
373	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Increase access to primary care
386	C13.R3 Implementation of the Minimum Inclusion Income (VMI)	T	Recipient of Minimum Inclusion Income receives at least one activation measure
403	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	T	At least 3 ministries planned and implemented budgets per programme
		Instalment Amount	EUR 895 629 540

2.1.9.Ninth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

162	C7.I3 Development of eHealth and telemedicine system	T	Healthcare providers connected to the new PIA platform
179	C7.I12 Ensuring cybersecurity protection for both public and private ITC infrastructures with critical value for national security, using smart technologies	T	Entities with secured IT&C infrastructures
415	C14.R2 Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	T	Public officials qualified as ‘sustainable development expert’ in public institutions at central and local level
446	C14.I2 Developing the logistical (non-IT) infrastructure needed to fight corruption and recover the proceeds and damage from crime, including training in these areas	T	Warehouses for the storage of seized property made operational
472	C15.I6 Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	T	10 newly built integrated vocational campuses
475	C15.I7 Transformation of agricultural high schools into professionalisation centres	T	57 agricultural schools supported through grants
476	C15.I7 Transformation of agricultural high schools into professionalisation centres	T	Number of pupils registered in agricultural secondary schools
480	C15.I8 In-service training programme for teaching staff	T	Teachers trained for online teaching by improving specific digital pedagogy skills
481	C15.I8 In-service training programme for teaching staff	T	Teachers publishing open educational materials on the edu.cred platform for exchange of practices
61	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	T	New clean vehicles procured by public entities, at least 3% above the thresholds of the Clean Vehicles Directive
70	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Railways infrastructure development and rail traffic management	M	Publication and implementation of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) national action plan
119	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	T	Decommissioning of lignite-fired power production capacity
155	C7.I1 Deployment of the Government Cloud Infrastructure	T	Tier III and Tier IV data centres by design, infrastructure and technologies for cloud services
164	C7.I4 Digitalisation of the judiciary	M	Operationalisation of ECRIS V (electronic case record and information system) completed
170	C7.I6 Digitalisation in employment and social protection	T	Implementation of digital services in the field of employment and social protection
177	C7.I10 Digital transformation in civil service management	M	Interactive and collaborative platforms for standardised human resources management in central public administration are established and operationalised
178	C7.I11 Implementation of a scheme to support the use of communication services through different types of instruments for beneficiaries, with a focus on white areas	T	Villages in white areas connected to very high-speed internet
180	C7.I12 Ensuring cybersecurity protection for both public and private ITC infrastructures with critical value for national security, using smart technologies	M	Cyberint national center strengthened
186	C7.I17 Funding schemes for libraries to become digital skills hubs	T	Libraries converted in digital hubs
196	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	T	Increase the share of revenues collected by the tax administration by at least 2.5 percentage points of GDP
198	C8.R2 Modernisation of the customs system and implementation of electronic customs	M	Entry into force of the amendments to the existing legal framework to improve the functioning of the Customs administration
223	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Share of the number of desk audits reported on the total audits carried out by the tax administration — 60%
224	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	T	Increase the number of audits by 10%
225	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	M	Fully operational electronic risk register
226	C8.I2 Improving tax and tax administration processes, including through the implementation of integrated risk management	M	Big Data/Analytics platform set-up and operational
232	C8.I4 Implementation of electronic customs	T	IT systems for customs operationalised
237	C8.I7 Technical support for the revision of the taxation framework	M	IT system enabling the implementation of an automatic property valuation model operational
372	C12.I1 Development of pre-hospital medical infrastructure	T	Family planning cabinets equipped or equipped and renovated
396	C13.I2 Rehabilitation, renovation and development of social infrastructure for persons with disabilities	T	New community services for persons with disabilities
406	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	T	800 representatives of civil society organizations trained to increase the administrative capacity and digitization of their structures
419	C14.R3. Developing performance human resources management in the public sector	M	Competence frameworks in central public administration operational
425	C14.R5. Ensuring the independence of the judiciary, enhancing its quality and efficiency	T	At least 6000 civil servants in the justice sector (judges, prosecutors and court clerks) having attended the trainings to improve the quality and efficiency of justice system
427	C14.R6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	T	An increase of the value of seized assets managed by the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets
428	C14.R6. Stepping up the fight against corruption	T	Completion of at least 70% of the measures foreseen in the new anti-corruption strategy
435	C14.R8. Reforming the national procurement system	T	Operational centralised procurement bodies (CPBs) for local authorities
454	C15.2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education system	T	Participation rate of 0-3 year-olds in early childhood education services
455	C15.R2. Unitary, inclusive and quality early-childhood education system	T	Participation rate of 3-6 year-olds in early childhood education services
457	C15.I1. Construction, equipping and operationalisation of 110 crèches	T	Newly built, equipped and operationalised crèches
461	C15.I3. Development of framework programme for the continuous training of professionals in early childhood education services	T	Trained personnel, working in standard and complementary early-childhood education services, prioritising those in the newly established services
487	C15.I10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	T	Pre-university school area rehabilitated to become Green Schools
488	C15.I10. Green-schools network development and purchase of green minibuses	T	New Green School area built and operational
		Instalment Amount	EUR 791 460 724

2.1.10.Tenth Instalment (non-repayable support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

63	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	T	Increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles
68	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road safety	T	Reducing the number of road accident victims (seriously injured and deceased people) by 25% compared to the 2019 baseline
181	C7.I13 Development of security systems for the protection of government spectrum	T	Reception sites operationalised at national level
292	C10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	T	Reduction by 25% in the number of people killed or seriously injured as a result of road accidents in urban municipalities compared to reference year 2019
391	C13.R4 Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers	T	Domestic workers/providers previously recorded as unemployed or inactive provide services by means of work cards
409	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	T	At least 50% of the proposed legislative initiatives, included in the Government Annual Work Plan (GAWP), approved within the set deadline
414	C14.R2 Strengthening coordination at the centre of government through an integrated and coherent approach to climate change and sustainable development initiatives	T	The achievement of 90% of the priorities set by the Inter-Institutional Climate Change Committee for 2025
447	C14.I3 Creation of local partnership structures between the local governments and the civil society	T	Partnerships between local public administration authorities (LPA) and NGOs established and operational
448	C14.I4 Increasing the capacity of civil society organisations to foster active citizenship, to engage professionally in the planning and implementation of public policies on social rights addressed by the national recovery and resilience plan and to monitor related reforms	T	Functional collaborative non-governmental sector initiatives operational
473	C15.I6 Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	T	Integrated, completed and operational dual education consortia linked to the requirements of economic operators in the concerned area
26	C2.I1 Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	T	New areas of afforested or reforested land
28	C2.I1 Afforestation and reforestation national campaign, including urban forests	T	New areas of urban forests created
62	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	T	Scrapped polluting motor vehicles (below EURO 3)
64	C4.R1 Sustainable transport, decarbonisation and road safety / Road decarbonisation in line with “polluter pays” principle	T	Electric recharging points installed at national level
75	C4.I1 Modernisation and renewal of railways infrastructure	T	Kilometres of new/upgraded operational railway infrastructure
77	C4.I2 Railways rolling stock	T	New electric rolling stock in operation
120	C6.R1 Electricity market reform, replacement of coal in the energy mix and support for a legislative and regulatory framework for private investment in renewable electricity production	T	Additional renewables capacity commissioned
157	C7.I2 Cloud development and migration	T	Governmental digital service applications migrated into Infrastructure-as-a-Service - IaaS/Platform-as-a-Service -PaaS
165	C7.I4 Digitalisation of the judiciary	M	Central public authorities in the judicial field digitalised
166	C7.I4 Digitalisation of the judiciary	M	Data centre operational
168	C7.I5 Digitalisation in the field of the environment	T	Digitalised public environmental services
171	C7.I6 Digitalisation in employment and social protection	T	Number of employees participating in trainings on digital skills
174	C7. I8 Qualified electronic identity card and digital signature	T	Citizens for whom an e-ID card is issued
183	C7.I15 Creation of new cybersecurity skills for the society and the economy	T	Trainers participating in cyber security training
184	C7.I15 Creation of new cybersecurity skills for the society and the economy	T	Entities receiving the Government toolkit and services to increase the level of cyber security maturity
185	C7.I16 Advanced digital skills training programme for civil servants	T	Digitally trained civil servants
187	C7.I17 Funding schemes for libraries to become digital skills hubs	T	Citizens who have received training for digital competences development
197	C8.R1 Reform of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) through digitalisation	T	Reduction of the VAT gap by 5 percentage points
210	C8.R5 Establishment and operationalisation of the National Development Bank	M	Notification to the European Commission of the completion of the National Development Bank’s Pillar Assessment to implement EU funds
290	C10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	M	Signature of all public transport service contracts expiring between 2021 and 2026 for 40 counties
291	C10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	T	Reducing air pollutant emissions
293	C.10.R1 Creating the framework for sustainable urban mobility	T	20% increase in yearly total passenger volume using local public transport in 2026 compared to 2019
296	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Additional zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery, trams and minibuses) (number of vehicles)
297	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Increase in the share of travels in Administrative Territorial Units with local public transport services using zero-emission vehicles (buses, trolleybuses using a zero-emission engine or battery,, trams) compared to 2019
300	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Administrative Territorial Units with developed/ expanded systems operational — Intelligent transport systems and e-ticketing/ other ICT infrastructures)
303	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Additional number of recharging points for electric vehicles
306	C10.I1 Sustainable urban mobility	T	Operational cycling runways at local/metropolitan level (km)
354	C12.R1 Increased capacity for the management of public health funds	T	Improving the accessibility of healthcare by reducing the percentage of persons reporting unmet medical needs
377	C12.I2 Development of public hospital infrastructure	T	Construction of and/or equipping new public health units/hospitals
379	C13.R1 Creating a new legal framework to provide adequate solutions to support families living in poverty with dependent children so that they can be kept in the family	T	Reducing the number of children separated from the family and falling into the social protection system
382	C13.R2 Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	T	Institutionalised persons with disabilities receiving personalised support to deinstitutionalise and implement their “independent living pathway”
383	C13.R2 Reform of the protection system for adults with disabilities	T	Reduction in the total number of institutionalised persons with disabilities (compared to 31.12.2020 data)
389	C13.R4 Introduction of work cards and formalisation of work in domestic workers	T	Beneficiaries (hiring domestic workers)
407	C14.R1 Enhancing the predictability and efficiency of decision-making processes by strengthening the capacity for policy coordination and impact analysis at the level of the government and coordinating ministries, as well as by strengthening the tools to increase the quality of public consultations at all levels of the administration	T	Process of public consultation and involvement of interested stakeholders improved through 20% increase in the number of draft legislative acts subject to public consultation and involvement of stakeholders at central level
443	C14.R9 Improve the procedural framework for the implementation of corporate governance principles in state-owned enterprises	T	Central state-owned companies listed/ leased/ restructured in the field of energy and transport
445	C14.I1 Optimising judicial infrastructure to guarantee access to justice and quality of services	T	Premises of courts built according to green standards
468	C15.I4 Supporting educational establishments with high risk of drop-outs	T	Reduction of the number of schools with high risk of drop outs
471	C15.R4 Creation of a full professional route for higher technical education	T	Share of students enrolled in the professional route, in relation to the population of students enrolled in secondary education
474	C15.I6 Development of 10 regional consortia and the development and equipping of 10 vocational campuses	T	Students enrolled in the full dual route
493	C15.I12 Support for rural school consortia	T	Completion of rural school consortia construction works and endowment
		Instalment Amount	EUR 540 269 059

2.2.Loan

The instalments referred to in Article 3(2) shall be organised in the following manner:

2.2.1.First Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

78	C4.R2 Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	M	Entry into force of the Law no. 50/2021 for the approval of the Emergency Ordinance no. 55/2016 on the reorganization of the National Company of Highways and National Roads in Romania - S.A. (C.N.A.I.R.) and the establishment of the National Road Investment Company - S.A. (C.N.I.R.)
1	C1.R1 Strengthening the regulatory framework for the sustainable management of the water and wastewater sector and accelerating public access to quality services under European directives	M	Entry into force of the amendments to the Law No 241/2006 on water supply and sewerage
247	C9.I2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	M	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government
250	C9.I2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	M	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government
253	C9.I2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	M	Signature of the financing agreement between the European Investment Fund and the Romanian Government for the creation of the Recovery Risk Capital Fund (“the Fund”) and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund
259	C9.I2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	M	Signature of the contribution agreement between the European Commission and the Romanian Government
270	C9.R2 Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	M	Policy Support Facility (PSF) Reform Implementation Unit established and operational
		Instalment Amount	EUR 907 669 494

2.2.2.Second Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

2	C1.R1 Strengthening the regulatory framework for sustainable management of water and waste water sector and accelerating people’s access to quality services under European directives	M	Entry into force of the law approving the national programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation
95	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Establishing a national support scheme for energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) of multifamily residential buildings
96	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Establishing a national support scheme for energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for public buildings)
189	C7.I19 Schemes to upskill/reskill employees in firms	M	Launch of the call for ‘Grant Support for Digital Skills’
256	C9.I2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	M	Establishment of the financial instrument (“the Fund”), and adoption of the investment policy of the Fund
262	C9.I3.1 Private sector aid schemes - Aid scheme for the digitalisation of SMEs	M	Selection of the scheme administrator
326	C11.R1 Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	M	All the optimum destination areas for regional Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in Romania mapped
327	C11.R1 Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	M	Action plan for the use of cultural heritage to increase the competitiveness of the Romanian tourism sector
331	C11.I1 Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	T	Sites that shall be included in the cultural routes
338	C11.R2 Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	M	Entry into force of the regulatory framework on cycling tourism
30	C2.R2 Reform of the management system for protected natural areas through coherent and effective implementation of the European Biodiversity Strategy	M	Entry into force of the legislative act setting up the inter-institutional committee to analyse the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity
97	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Calls for proposals for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for residential buildings
98	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Call for proposals for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) (public buildings)
129	C6.I2 Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	M	Signature of contracts for the construction of at least 100 MW of new electrolysers capacity
133	C6.I3 Development of flexible and high-efficient gas-fired combined heat and power generation (CHP) in district heating to achieve deep decarbonisation	M	Signature of contracts for high-efficient gas cogeneration and district heating projects
140	C6.I5 Ensuring energy efficiency in the industrial sector	M	Opening of a call for tender for energy efficiency investments for the industry
266	C9.I4 Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	M	Entry into force of the Government Decision allocating the necessary funding of EUR 500 million to provide support to the scale-up of the national capabilities up to the first industrial development and the participation in a multi-country project
307	C10.R2 Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation — Romania’s Urban Policy	M	Entry into force of the Metropolitan Areas Act
312	C10.R4 Improving housing quality	M	Entry into force of legislative act for the implementation of the National Housing Strategy and Action Plan to decrease severe housing deprivation
339	C11.R2 Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	M	National Coordination Centre Velo Routes established and operational
398	C13.R6 Improvement of the social economy legislation	M	Entry into force of the amendment of Law No 219/2015 on the social economy and the implementing rules
500	C15.I16. Digitisation of universities and preparation for the digital professions of the future	M	Signature of contracts for grants for innovative technology centres in universities
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 080 198 230

2.2.3.Third Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

43	C3.R1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	M	The adoption of the National Circular Economy Strategy
46	C3.R1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	M	Entry into force of the legislative acts necessary for an operationalisation of a unitary waste management in accordance with the National Waste Management Plan
127	C6.R5 Reducing the energy intensity of the economy by developing a sustainable mechanism to boost energy efficiency in industry and increase resilience	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to facilitate investment in energy efficiency in the industry
135	C6.I4 Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), production of raw materials used in the associated industry, and new electricity storage capacities	M	Signature of contracts for investments in the battery production chain, photovoltaic cells and panels
136	C6.I4 Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), production of raw materials used in the associated industry, and new electricity storage capacities	M	Signature of contracts under the Battery Storage Support Scheme
241	C9.R1 Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	M	Entry into force of legislative amendments to streamline, simplify and fully digitise business related procedures
242	C9.R1 Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	M	Entry into force of legislative amendments to simplify and make the conduct of the SME test transparent and applicable
328	C11.R1 Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework by Government Decision which shall include a clear description of the financing mechanism to support the development of the network of DMOs and a clear governance model
332	C11.I1 Promotion of the 12 touristic/ cultural routes	M	Signature of the contracts for the promotion of the 12 routes
340	C11.R2 Framework for the operationalisation of cycling routes at national level	M	Comprehensive study on the territorial distribution of national cycling routes
341	C11.I3 Establishment and operationalisation of the Velo National Coordination Centre	M	Integrated National eVelo Platform and smartphone application
344	C11.R3 Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector	M	Entry into force of the law on the funding system for the cultural sector
3	C1.R1 Strengthening the regulatory framework for the sustainable management of the water and waste water sector and accelerating people’s access to quality services under European directives	M	Implementation agreements signed with the local authorities participating in the First Connection to Water and Sanitation Programme
79	C4.R2 Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	M	Selection and appointment of members of the Board of Directors of C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R, C.F.R., Metrorex, C.F.R. Călători.
86	C4.I4 Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	M	Signature of contracts for 50% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained
90	C5.R1 Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	M	Entry into force of the amendments to the existing legislative framework on the multiannual national programme for improving the energy performance of residential buildings (Government Emergency Ordonnance No 18/2009)
91	C5.R1 Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	M	The technical regulatory framework on investments for the transition to green and digital buildings is operational
93	C5.R2 Strategic, legislative and procedural framework to support seismic resilience of the buildings stock	M	Adoption and implementation of the National Seismic Risk Reduction strategy for the seismic retrofitting the existing building stock
94	C5.R2 Strategic, legislative and procedural framework to support seismic resilience of the buildings stock	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework for seismic risk reduction of buildings
99	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for residential buildings
100	C5.I1 Establishment of a renovation wave fund to finance works to improve the existing building stock	M	Signature of contracts for the energy efficiency renovation and integrated renovation (seismic consolidation and energy efficiency) for public buildings
243	C9.R1 Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	M	Entry into force of the law “Single Industrial Licence”
264	C9.I3.2 Private sector aid schemes - De minimis scheme to assist Romanian firms in listing on the stock exchange	M	Selection of the scheme administrator
267	C9.I4 Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	T	Entities selected for participation in the project
268	C9.I4 Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	T	Entities in consortia participating to calls for projects by the Joint Undertaking of Essential Digital Technologies (KDT JU)
278	C9.R5 Support to integrate the research, development and innovation organisations in Romania in the European Research Area	M	Entry into force of a law that encourages, facilitates and regulates the voluntary and functional integration and merger of research institutions in Romania
280	C9.I5 Establishment and operationalisation of Competence Centres	M	Establishment of 5 Centres of Competence
308	C10.R2 Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation	M	Entry into force of the Government Decision establishing the Romanian Urban Policy Framework
310	C10.R3 Creating the policy framework for sustainable rural transformation: establishing administrative consortia in functional rural areas	M	Entry into force of the legislative act amending the Administrative Code and establishing of administrative consortia in neighbouring rural or predominantly rural administrative territorial units, existing as functional rural areas
317	C10.I2 Construction of housing for youth and for professionals in health and education	M	Signature of all public contracts for building housing for young people coming from vulnerable communities and groups, emergency housing and for health and education professionals in urban or rural areas
320	C10.I3 Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	M	Signature of contracts for the moderate renovation of public buildings
323	C10.I4 Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	M	Signature of contracts for the development/updating of spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans documentation
342	C11.I4 Implementation of 3 000km of cycling routes	M	Signature of the contracts for cycling routes
399	C13.R7 Reform of long-term care services for older people	M	Entry into force of a law for the adoption and implementation of the National Long-Term-Care Strategy
501	C15.I16 Digitisation of universities and preparation for the digital professions of the future	M	Signature of contracts for a grant scheme for the digitalisation of the National Council of Rectors
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 095 638 920

2.2.4.Fourth Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

41	C2.I5 Investments in integrated risk reduction systems from torrential flash floods in forest basins exposed to such phenomena	M	Adoption of project designs
108	C5.I3 Strengthening the professional capacity of professionals and workers in the renovation sector by developing trainings on energy efficiency construction	T	Establishment of certification schemes in the field of energy performance of buildings
126	C6.R4 Developing a favourable legislative and regulatory framework for future technologies, in particular hydrogen and storage solutions	M	Entry into force of the amendments to the legislative framework, implementing the National Hydrogen Strategy
334	C11.I1 Promotion of the 12 touristic/cultural routes	M	Signature of the contracts for the restoration/ renovation works for the sites included in the 12 cultural routes
336	C11.I2 Modernisation/creation of museums and memorials	M	Signature of the contracts for the building works of the museums
345	C11.R3 Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector	M	Entry into force of the law on the statute of cultural workers
346	C11.I5 Increasing access to culture in culturally deprived areas	M	Signature of the financing contracts
16	C1.I4.2 Rehabilitation of existing accumulations that require emergency interventions for safe operation	M	Adoption of project design by Government Decision/Ministerial Order, as applicable
80	C4.R2 Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	M	Implementation of the main recommendations to increase the financial and operational performance of C.N.A.I.R., C.N.I.R., C.F.R., C.F.R. Calatori and Metrorex
248	C9.I2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
251	C9.I2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
260	C9.I2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to at least 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee
273	C9.R2 Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	M	Entry into force of a Government Ordinance establishing a single body that encompasses the existing councils, ensures inter-ministerial coordination and reaches out to the private sector established and operational
286	C9.I10 Establishment and financial support of a national network of eight regional career guidance centres as part of the European Research Area Talent Platform	M	A network of public universities which are hosting and making operational 8 centres for research career orientation
315	C10.R5 Development of the planning system — Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction	M	Entry into force of the Code of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Construction
316	C10.R5 Development of the planning system — Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction	M	Entry into operation of the interoperable urban digital data platform (as part of the Territorial Observatory)
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 352 726 966

2.2.5.Fifth Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

18	C1.I5 Appropriate endowment of river basin administrations for flood monitoring, prevention and emergency response	T	River Basin Administrations equipped with machinery for rough access and intervention, amphibious access and transport of mobile bags/dikes in hard-to-reach areas, drones equipped with LIDAR/Flir/photogrammetry sensors, geo-electroresistive/georadar technologies of dyke bodies as well as hardware and software infrastructure
44	C3.R1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	M	The adoption of the Action Plan for the National Circular Economy Strategy
348	C11.I6 Development of a digital system for cultural funding processes	M	Platforms and digital systems operationalised
349	C11.I7 Accelerating the digitisation of film production and distribution	M	Signature of the financing contracts
496	C15.I13 Equipping of IT laboratories in vocational education and training (VET) schools	T	VET educational schools equipped with computer laboratories
497	C15.I14 Equipping of practice workshops in VET schools	T	VET educational units equipped with functional practice laboratories
9	C1.I2 Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 inhabitants that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	T	Individual or other appropriate systems built and operational in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalents
34	C2.I3.2 Identification of potential areas for strict protection in natural terrestrial and marine habitats in order to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030	M	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas (identified in Natura 2000 protected areas with existing management plans or including primary and old-growth forests)
82	C4.I3 Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	M	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained, with EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and Appropriate Assessment (part of the Habitats Directive) opinions issued and incorporated in the design of the investments
87	C4.I4 Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	M	Signature of contracts for 100% of the works, following open and competitive tenders and relevant permits obtained
109	C5.I3 Strengthening the professional capacity of professionals and workers in the renovation sector by developing trainings on energy efficiency construction	T	At least 8000 specialist and workers with a certification for the completion of energy efficiency related trainings
128	C6.R6 Increasing competitiveness and decarbonisation of the heating — cooling sector	M	Entry into force of the legislative framework introducing measures to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector
130	C6.I2 Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	M	Signature of contract for the construction of a hydrogen ready distribution network in the Oltenia region
246	C9.I1 Digital platforms on legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business.	M	Digital platforms set-up, connected to a single electronic point of contact and fully operational
269	C9.I4 Cross border and multi-country projects – Low Power Processors and Semiconductor Chips	T	Contracts signed by the participating companies
274	C9.R3 Reform of research career	M	Entry into force of legislation on the researcher’s career and status
283	C9.I7 Strengthening excellence and supporting Romania’s participation in partnerships and missions in Horizon Europe	T	Number of research financing contracts signed
284	C9.I8 Development of a programme to attract the highly specialised human resource from abroad in research, development and innovation activities	T	Projects led by international researchers financed
285	C9.I9 Support for the holders of certificates of excellence received in the Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship Award	T	Marie Sklodowska Curie recipients of Seal of Excellence
329	C11.R1 Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	T	DMOs established
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 404 167 655

2.2.6.Sixth Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

276	C9.R4 Enhanced cooperation between business and research	M	Entry into force of legislative amendments for a favourable environment for public and private investment in research, development and innovation
333	C11.I1 Promotion of the 12 touristic/cultural routes	M	Opening of the 12 cultural routes
498	C15.I15 Online School: Assessment platform and content development	M	Online Student Assessment ePlatform is operational
503	C15.I17 Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens, recreation facilities)	T	Recreation and reading places constructed or upgraded and in use
11	C1.I2 Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent which prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect natural protected areas	T	Built and operational sewage network in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalents
249	C9.I2.1 Financial instruments for the private sector - Portfolio guarantee for resilience	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the resources allocated to the instrument approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.
252	C9.I2.2 Financial instruments for the private sector - Climate Action Portfolio Guarantee	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.
261	C9.I2.5 Financial instruments for the private sector - Energy efficiency investment in the residential and buildings sector	T	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted, approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee.
263	C9.I3.1 Private sector aid schemes - Aid scheme for the digitalisation of SMEs	T	Number of financing contracts signed
347	C11.I5 Increasing access to culture in culturally deprived areas	T	Small localities with increased access to culture
504	C15.I17 Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	T	Canteens constructed or upgraded and in use
		Instalment Amount	EUR 2 646 042 066

2.2.7.Seventh Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

4	C1.R2 Reconfiguration of ANAR’s current economic mechanism to ensure the modernisation and maintenance of the national water management system and the proper implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive	M	Entry into force of the law introducing amendments to Water Law No 107/1996
5	C1.I1 Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalents, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	T	Built and operational water distribution networks
7	C1.I1 Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalents, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	T	Sewage networks built and operational
39	C2.I4.4 Implementation of a monitoring system for wild sturgeons along the Lower Danube	M	Network for monitoring, communication and transmission of wild sturgeon data operational
48	C3.I1a Establishment of voluntary collection centres	T	Voluntary collection centres established and operational
50	C3.I1b Construction of digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste at local level	T	Digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational
101	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings
104	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of public buildings
505	C15.I17 Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	T	Newly created or upgraded in-use accommodation places
14	C1.I4.1 Rehabilitation of existing lines of defence in accordance with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Floods Risk Management	T	Rehabilitated flood defence lines in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management
52	C3.I1c Integrated centres for urban agglomerations concerning separate collection	T	Integrated waste collection centres established and in operation in urban agglomerations
56	C3.I3a Monitoring and Control Equipment for the National Environmental Guard	T	National Environmental Guard County Commissioners equipped with digital equipment for waste management monitoring and control activities
83	C4.I3 Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	M	Construction of new roads, 50% of works completed
88	C4.I4 Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	M	Construction of 50% of the metro lines investments in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca
107	C5.I2 Implementation of National Building Register	M	National Digital Building Register established and operational
110	C5.I4 Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	M	A laboratory for testing new materials and technological solutions for historical buildings is operational
111	C5.I4 Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	M	A pilot centre within the National Heritage Institute for the collection and re-use of historical building materials is operational
254	C9.I2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	M	Finance or investment operations amounting to 50% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee
257	C9.I2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	T	At least 30% of the targeted beneficiaries supported
321	C10.I3 Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	T	Surface in square metres of public buildings refurbished
324	C10.I4 Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	T	Spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans finalised and taken over in the Territorial Observatory platform
		Instalment Amount	EUR 2 625 927 123

2.2.8.Eight Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

32	C2.I3.1 Update of approved management plans	T	Nature protected areas with updated management plans entered into force
350	C11.I7 Accelerating the digitisation of film production and distribution	T	Film producers and distributors with increased digital competences
499	C15.I15 Online School: Assessment platform and content development	T	Open Educational Resources (OER) developed (teaching materials)
31	C2.R2 Reform of the management system for protected natural areas through coherent and effective implementation of the European Biodiversity Strategy	M	Entry into force of the legislative act modifying the legal framework applicable to sectors with an impact on biodiversity
58	C3.I3b Air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment for the National Environmental Protection Agency	T	Operationalisation of air quality, radioactivity and noise monitoring equipment
93	C5.R1 Simplified and updated regulatory framework to support the implementation of investments in the transition to green and resilient buildings	T	Reduction of timing for the issuance of building permits
265	C9.I3.2 Private sector aid schemes - De minimis scheme to assist Romanian firms in listing on the stock exchange	T	Number of signed financing contracts that shall allow listing on the Bucharest stock exchange
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 463 482 557

2.2.9.Ninth Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

506	C15.I17 Ensuring university infrastructure (homes, canteens and recreation facilities)	T	At least 40% of the new and modernised facilities directed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds
19	C1.I6 Implementation of the water cadastre	M	Water cadastre developed and operationalised
20	C1.I7 Extension of the national observation network of the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)	T	Purchased and operational meteorological stations
35	C2.I3.2 Identification of potential areas for strict protection in natural terrestrial and marine habitats in order to implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030	M	Entry into force of the legislative act for the designation of strictly protected areas (identified in Natura 2000 protected areas without existing management plans and in other areas)
57	C3.I3a Monitoring and Control Equipment for the National Environmental Guard	T	400 control missions using the monitoring and control equipment
81	C4.R2 Performance-based quality management in transport - Improving institutional capacity and corporate governance	T	Improved railways performance in terms of trains punctuality
102	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings
105	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of public buildings
112	C5.I4 Circular economy and increased energy efficiency of historic buildings	T	At least 200 professionals with a certification for the completion of trainings on interventions and energy efficiency on historic buildings
131	C6.I2 Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	T	Production of green hydrogen
137	C6.I4 Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), production of raw materials used in the associated industry, and new electricity storage capacities	T	Battery production and/or assembly and/or recycling plants commissioned
138	C6.I4 Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), production of raw materials used in the associated industry, and new electricity storage capacities	T	Photovoltaic cells and panels capacity commissioned
139	C6.I4 Industrial chain of production and/or assembly and/or recycling of batteries, cells and photovoltaic panels (including ancillary equipment), production of raw materials used in the associated industry, and new electricity storage capacities	T	Electricity storage capacity installed
141	C6.I5 Create an incentive scheme for energy efficiency in industry and increase resilience in industry	T	Completed energy efficiency project
188	C7.I18 Digital transformation and Robotic Process Automation in public administration	T	Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and promotion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) implemented in public administration
190	C7.I19 Schemes to upskill/reskill employees in firms	T	SMEs financed for training their staff in digital skills
244	C9.R1 Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	T	Reducing the average time needed to perform business environment related regulatory requirements
245	C9.R1 Legislative transparency, de-bureaucratisation and procedural simplification for business	T	Legislative acts/modification related to SMEs for which the test was applied
275	C9.R3 Reform of the research career	T	Institutions that adhered to the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers initiated the process of design, implementation and assessment of Action Plans
281	C9.I5 Establishment and operationalisation of Competence Centres	T	Budget attracted by the Centres of Competence from private sector research, development and innovation projects
502	C15.I16 Digitisation of universities and preparation for the digital professions of the future	T	Universities supported by new innovative technology centres to create the new skills of the future
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 248 073 477

2.2.10.Tenth Instalment (loan support):

Sequential Number	Related Measure (Reform or Investment)	Milestone / Target	Name

15	C1.I4.1 Rehabilitation of existing lines of defence in accordance with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Floods Risk Management	T	Rehabilitated flood defence lines in line with the Floods Directive and the National Strategy for Flood Risk Management
17	C1.I4.2 Rehabilitation of existing accumulations that require emergency interventions for safe operation	T	Existing dams rehabilitated
45	C3.R1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	M	Implementation of actions of the National Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan assigned to the public authorities
330	C11.R1 Operationalisation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)	T	Increased share of foreign tourists attracted in the counties that are part of the regional DMOs
507	C15.I18 Training and coaching programme for school managers and inspectors	T	Directors, deputy directors and inspectors with completed training and coaching programme
6	C1.I1 Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalents, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	T	Built and operational water distribution networks
8	C1.I1 Expansion of water and sewerage systems in agglomerations of more than 2 000 population equivalent, prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with European Directives	T	Built and operational sewage networks built and operational in agglomerations prioritised by the Accelerated Plan for Compliance with the European Directives.
10	C1.I2 Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	T	Individual or other appropriate systems built and operational in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent
12	C1.I2 Collection of waste water in agglomerations of less than 2 000 population equivalent that prevent the achievement of good status of water bodies and/or affect protected natural areas	T	Built and operational sewerage networks in agglomerations below 2 000 population equivalent
13	C1.I3 Supporting the connection of the low-income population to existing water and sewerage networks	T	Households connected to water and sewerage networks through the National Programme First Connection to Water and Sanitation
21	C1.I7 Extension of the national observation network of the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)	M	Operational information and communication technology system for the integration of the additional meteorological and agro-meteorological stations in the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN)
33	C2.I3.1 Update of approved management plans	T	Nature protected areas with updated management plans entered into force
36	C2.I4.1 Removal of obstacles in watercourses in order to facilitate the restoration of connectivity of dependent habitats and species	T	Riparian habitats with restored connectivity
37	C2.I4.2 Reconstruction of grassland habitats in protected natural areas	T	Grassland habitats ecologically restored
38	C2.I4.3 Decolourisation of the Danube Delta lakes in the Danube Delta in order to reduce eutrophication and maintain biological diversity	T	Lake areas that have benefitted from the removal of aquatic plants
40	C2.I4.5 Reconfiguration of the public access and visit infrastructure for the Danube Delta in order to reduce the pressure of tourism on habitats and species	T	Visiting centres constructed to alleviate the pressure of tourism on habitats
42	C2.I5 Integrated flood risk mitigation systems in forest river basins	M	Completion of modernisation works for flood protection
47	C3.R1 Improving waste management governance to accelerate the transition to the circular economy	T	Contribution with 4,5% to the 50% national recycling and preparation for reuse target by 2025
49	C3.I1a Establishment of voluntary collection centres	T	Voluntary collection centres established and operational
51	C3.I1.b Construction of digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste at local level	T	Digitised eco-islands for separate collection of waste, established and operational
53	C3.I1c Integrated centres for urban agglomerations concerning separate collection	T	Integrated waste collection centres established and in operation in urban agglomerations
54	C3.I1d Construction of waste recycling facilities to meet the recycling targets of the circular economy package	T	Waste recycling facilities constructed and in operation
55	C3.I2 Development of infrastructure for manure and other compostable agricultural waste management	T	Integrated systems for the collection of compostable agricultural waste, established and operational
84	C4.I3. Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	T	Construction of new roads, completed (with TEN-T standards)
85	C4.I3 Development of sustainable road infrastructure on TEN-T network, road charging, traffic management and road safety	T	Road safety black/hot spots removed
89	C4.I4 Development of the underground transport network in the municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca	T	Kilometers of new metro lines in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca completed
103	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of multi-family residential buildings
106	C5.I1 Establishment of a Renovation Wave fund to finance works to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock	T	Completed energy renovation of public buildings
132	C6.I2 Distribution infrastructure of renewable gases (using natural gas in combination with green hydrogen as a transitional measure), as well as green hydrogen production capacities and/or its use for electricity storage	T	Hydrogen enabled distribution network, completed and in operation in the Oltenia region
134	C6.I3 Development of flexible and high-efficient gas-fired combined heat and power generation (CHP) in district heating to achieve deep decarbonisation	T	High-efficient cogeneration plants and district heating
255	C9.I2.3 Financial instruments for the private sector - Recovery Venture Capital Fund	M	Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of finance or investment targeted approved by the Investment Committee
258	C9.I2.4 Financial instruments for the private sector - Fund for digitisation, climate action, and other areas of interest	T	100% of the targeted beneficiaries supported
271	C9.R2 Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	T	Share of recommendations in Policy Support Facility adopted by the end of 2026
272	C9.R2 Streamline governance of research, development and innovation	M	Entry into force a permanent system to design, implement, monitor and evaluate research, development and innovation policy
277	C9.R4 Enhanced cooperation between business and research	M	40% of publicly funded research, development and innovation projects have at least one business entity involved as a partner
279	C9.R5 Support to integrate the research, development and innovation organisations in Romania in the European Research Area	T	Percentage of research organisations sharing research infrastructure and facilities
282	C9.I6 Horizon Europe mentoring programmes	T	Vouchers granted as part of the Horizon Europe mentoring program
287	C9.I10 Establishment and financial support of a national network of eight regional career guidance centres as part of the European Research Area Talent Platform	T	Researchers who have benefited from the services of career guidance centres
309	C10.R2 Creating the policy framework for sustainable urban transformation	T	Increase in quality of life in urban areas
311	C10.R2 Creating the policy framework for sustainable rural transformation: establishing administrative consortia in functional rural areas	T	Decrease in poverty and social exclusion in rural areas
313	C10.R3 Improving housing quality for better well-being	T	Reduced percentage of housing overcrowding
314	C10.R3 Improving housing quality for better well-being	T	Reduced percentage of population living in informal settlements
318	C10.I1 Construction of Youth Housing/ Housing units for Health and Education Professionals	T	Housing units built for young people coming from vulnerable communities / groups
319	C10.I1 Construction of Youth Housing/ Housing units for Health and Education Professionals	T	Housing units built for professionals in health and education
322	C10.I3 Moderate rehabilitation of public buildings to improve public service delivery by administrative territorial units	T	Surface in square metres of public buildings refurbished
325	C10.I4 Development/updating in GIS format of spatial planning and urban planning documents	T	Spatial planning, urban planning and sustainable urban mobility plans finalised and taken over in the Territorial Observatory platform
335	C11.I1 Promotion of the 12 touristic/cultural routes	T	Newly restored sites opened
337	C11.I2. Modernisation/creation of museums and memorials	T	Newly built and renovated museums opened
343	C11.I4 Implementation of 3 000km of cycling routes	T	Kilometres m of cycling routes built and accessible for cycling
400	C13.I4 Creation of a network of day care and rehabilitating centres for elderly (no residential component)	T	Operationalisation of day care and rehabilitating centres for the elderly
		Instalment Amount	EUR 1 118 226 512

3.SECTION 3: ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

3.1.Arrangements for monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan

The monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan of Romania shall take place in accordance with the following arrangements:

·At central level, the coordination is ensured by the Inter-ministerial Committee for the Coordination of the Plan, responsible for examining progress in the implementation of the Plan, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Investments and European Projects (MIPE). MIPE was appointed the national coordinator for the preparation, negotiation and approval of the Plan, assisted by the Ministry of Finance (for tasks related to signing the loan agreement and the financing agreement), with the establishment of a specialized structure.

·MIPE is also in charge of the control and monitoring of the plan, including the monitoring of the achievement of the milestones and targets, as well as ensuring the prevention, detection and correction of serious irregularities. Finally, the same Ministry is also in charge for drawing-up and signing the payment claims and management declarations.

·The implementation of the Plan shall be ensured by line ministries and their subordinated structures, through conclusion of financing agreements with MIPE.

3.2.Arrangements for providing full access by the Commission to the underlying data

In order to provide full access to the Commission to the underlying relevant data, Romania shall have in place the following arrangements:

MIPE, as the national coordinator of the plan, shall be responsible for the overall coordination, control and monitoring of the plan. In particular, it shall act as a coordinating body for monitoring progress on milestones and targets, whereas audits shall be the responsibility of the Audit Authority. MIPE shall coordinate the reporting of milestones and targets, all relevant indicators, but also qualitative financial information and other data, such as on final recipients. The data encoding shall take place in the IT system of MIPE.

In accordance with Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, upon completion of the relevant agreed milestones and targets in Section 2.1 of this Annex, Romania shall submit to the Commission a duly justified request for payment of the financial contribution and, where relevant, of the loan. Romania shall ensure that, upon request, the Commission has full access to the underlying relevant data that supports the due justification of the request for payment, both for the assessment of the request for payment in accordance with Article 24(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and for audit and control purposes.

(1) Romania has not yet met this legal obligation and an infringement is ongoing. Acknowledging the date of submission of the NAPCP in the framework of the Plan does not mean endorsement by the Commission. This is indeed without prejudice to the ongoing infringement on the non-submission of the NAPCP.

(2)

This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(3)

This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(4)

(5)

(6)

Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(7)

Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(8)

(9)

(10) https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=75185

(11) Available at https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/2021-best-practice-guidelines-eu-code-conduct-data-centre-energy-efficiency

(12) https://ec.europa.eu/isa2/sites/default/files/eif_brochure_final.pdf

(13) https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=75185

(14) Except projects in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(15) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(16) This exclusion does not apply to actions in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(17) This exclusion does not apply to actions in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(18) Except projects in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(19) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(20) Except projects in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(21) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(22) Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(23) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(24)

(25) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(26) Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(27) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(28)

(29) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(30) Except projects in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(31) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(32) Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(33) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(34)

(35) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(36) Except projects related to power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(37) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(38)

This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure related to plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(39) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(40) Except projects related to power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(41) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(42)

(43) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(44) Except projects related to power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(45) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(46)

(47) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(48)

Territorial administrative units are defined as “rural” according to the “Methodological manual on territorial typologies — 2018 edition” (also known as the DEGURBA methodology) or the enhanced classification of small regions by the OECD (Fadic, M., et al. (2019), "Classifying small (TL3) regions based on metropolitan population, low density and remoteness", OECD Regional Development Working Papers, No. 2019/06, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b902cc00-en ).

(49) Investments 13 and 14 are included in Section O.3.

(50) Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

(51) Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.

(52)

(53) This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

(54) Investments 12 and 13 are included in Section O.3.

(55) Investment 17 is included in Section O.3.

(56) Investment 18 is included in Section O.3.

(57) https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC107466

(58) https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC106281