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ALL texts adopted by EU parliament starting 2026
ALL texts adopted by EU parliament starting 2026
Revising Estonia's €953 million Recovery Plan
Published February 16, 2026
Goal: Support Estonia's recovery
The EU is updating Estonia's recovery plan by tweaking five projects (scaling back some renewable energy goals, improving others, and boosting a rail project) while keeping the same €953 million funding to help Estonia modernize its economy, go green, and improve public services.
EU Council decision – 16 Feb 2026
Proposal for a Council Implementing Decision
Amending the 29 Oct 2021 decision that approved Estonia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP)
Why the decision is being amended
- Estonia’s RRP was approved on 29 Oct 2021.
- In 29 Jan 2026 Estonia asked the EU to change the plan because some parts are no longer fully achievable or could be improved.
- Five measures are being changed:
- 4.7 – Pilot Energy Storage Programme – level of implementation is reduced.
- 4.8 – Offshore wind farms – level of implementation is reduced.
- 3.6 – Strategic analysis of money‑laundering and terrorist financing – updated to use better methods.
- 8.1 – Deployment of renewable energy sources – updated to simplify the process.
- 5.3.a – Rail Baltic viaducts and terminal – level of implementation is increased to use freed‑up resources.
- Seven clerical errors in the 13 Nov 2025 decision are also corrected (no impact on implementation).
EU assessment of the amended plan
- The European Commission reviewed the changes against the criteria in Regulation (EU) 2021/241.
- The plan still meets all criteria for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, and cost‑efficiency.
- The cost estimate is considered “medium‑extent reasonable” (rating B).
Cost and EU financial contribution
| Item | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Total estimated cost of the amended RRP | 953 380 000 |
| EU financial contribution (maximum available) | 953 184 800 |
| Difference (uncovered by EU) | 195 200 |
The EU contribution remains unchanged because the total cost is still below the maximum available.
Funding schedule
The EU will pay in five instalments (each 142 977 720 EUR) and a final instalment of 190 636 960 EUR, covering all measures in the plan.
| Instalment | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 142 977 720 |
| 2 | 142 977 720 |
| 3 | 142 977 720 |
| 4 | 142 977 720 |
| 5 | 190 636 960 |
Main components of the plan (simplified)
| Component | Focus | Key measures (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| Digital transformation | Help Estonian businesses go digital, support SMEs, improve digital skills | Digital transformation grants, e‑construction tools, digital freight platforms |
| Green transition | Reduce fossil‑fuel use, boost renewable energy, improve energy efficiency | Green skills training, green technology programmes, renewable energy projects |
| Digital state | Modernise public services, improve cybersecurity, open data | Virtual assistant “Bürokratt”, cloud migration, data governance |
| Energy & transport | Decarbonise transport, build rail links, improve energy network | Rail Baltic viaducts, offshore wind, electric grid upgrades |
| Health & social protection | Strengthen health system, reduce youth unemployment, close gender pay gap | Hospital network reform, “My First Job” scheme, gender pay tool |
| Audit & control | Set up legal framework, monitor implementation, ensure transparency | State Shared Service Center, SFOS data system, regular audits |
| REPowerEU | Reduce reliance on fossil fuels, increase renewables, improve grid | Wind priority areas, renewable grid capacity, biomethane projects |
Monitoring and implementation
- Lead ministry: Ministry of Finance.
- Managing authority: State Shared Service Center.
- Data system: Structural Funds Operating System (SFOS).
- Audit: Ministry of Finance’s audit department and the EU audit authority.
- Reporting: Estonia must submit progress reports and evidence of milestones to the EU before each payment request.
Key dates
- 16 Feb 2026 – Decision adopted.
- 29 Oct 2021 – Original approval of the RRP.
- 16 Jun 2023 & 13 Nov 2025 – Previous amendments to the RRP.
- 29 Jan 2026 – Estonia’s request for further amendments.
Bottom line: The EU Council will keep the EU’s financial support for Estonia’s recovery plan unchanged, but will adjust five key measures to reflect new circumstances, correct clerical errors, and ensure the plan remains realistic, efficient, and environmentally sound. The plan is split into several components (digital, green, transport, health, etc.) and will be funded in five instalments, with progress monitored through a national data system and regular audits.
Licensing: The summaries on this page are available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
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