Lithuania may receive RRF payment of around EUR 0.5 b in mid-May

VILNIUS – The European Commission on Tuesday endorsed a partially positive preliminary assessment of Lithuania's request for the first 565-million-euro grant under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with the first payment likely to be disbursed in May. 

The Commission said in a press release that 31 out of the 33 milestones linked to Lithuania's first payment request are considered "to be satisfactorily fulfilled".

According to the assessment, Lithuania has not implemented the recommendations and has not abandoned certain tax exemptions or adopted changes to environmental taxes.

"Lithuania now has a right to present to the Commission its observations within one month from the receipt of the communication," according to the press release.

If the Commission's assessment does not change within this period, part of the requested amount will be disbursed to Lithuania based on the 31 milestones. 

"If, following Lithuania's observations, the Commission were to confirm its assessment that the two outstanding milestones have not been satisfactorily fulfilled, it will determine the amount of the payment to be suspended by applying its methodology for payment suspension (outlined in Annex II of the 21 February Communication)", the EU's executive body said.

The planned date for the partial disbursement is May 18.

Lithuania will have until November this year "to satisfactorily fulfil the outstanding milestones". If it does, the Commission will disburse the remaining funds in early 2024.