The European Commission has given a positive assessment of Estonia’s fourth request for a €135.5 million payment under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, the main funding tool behind the NextGenerationEU pandemic recovery package.
The payment request was submitted on 31 March 2026 and covers reforms and investments linked to digitalisation, education, health and the green transition, the Commission announced on Friday.
Measures cited include support for children with higher care needs and steps to facilitate the deployment of renewable energy.
Estonia has satisfactorily completed 11 milestones and 10 targets linked to the request, the Commission said.
Projects highlighted include the construction of the new Tervikum hospital in Viljandi, described as a county general hospital and health centre intended to serve residents of Viljandi County and support surrounding counties.
The Commission noted that the hospital will be networked with a health care centre, linking primary care, specialist care and social services.
Sustainable mobility investments listed include a new 2.5 km section of the Tallinn Old Port tram line and 18 bike and walkways built across Estonia.
What happens next
The Commission has sent its preliminary assessment to the EU’s Economic and Financial Committee, which has four weeks to deliver its opinion.
The payment can take place after the committee’s opinion and the Commission’s adoption of a payment decision.
If approved, the latest payment would bring total funds paid out to Estonia under the facility to €763 million, including €126 million in pre-financing in September 2021 and an €18 million pre-payment under the REPowerEU energy plan in December 2023.
That would correspond to 80% of the total funds in Estonia’s plan, with 76% of milestones and targets fulfilled.
