The clock is ticking for Greece as it reaches 53% completion of the milestones under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with the program set to expire in August 2026.
Alternate Minister of Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis announced that 204 milestones—representing 53% of the total—have been successfully met under the national recovery plan, “Greece 2.0.” Preparations are advancing for the eighth payment request, highlighting both notable achievements and the urgency to complete the remaining reforms and investments before the deadline.
Greece has so far received €23.4 billion, equivalent to 65% of its total allocation. A recently submitted double payment request for €1.17 billion (comprising €883 million in grants from the seventh installment and €294 million in loans from the sixth) is expected to push total disbursements to €24.57 billion, or over 68% of the envelope, pending approval.
This latest request is more modest compared to prior ones. Two further requests—the eighth and ninth—are still anticipated this year. In 2025, Greece submitted two requests totaling €3.27 billion, with disbursements reaching €5.2 billion that year alone. Officials emphasize that the country ranks among the EU’s leading absorbers of Recovery Fund resources.
The RRF forms a cornerstone of Greece’s post-pandemic economic strategy, directing substantial funding toward small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Grants to SMEs have amounted to €1.61 billion, with loans at €3.59 billion. Key ongoing initiatives include nationwide preventive health screenings, housing loan programs like “My Home II,” smart infrastructure enhancements, and digital education efforts for older adults and people with disabilities.
Despite the progress, concerns linger about fully absorbing the available funds by August. Papathanasis stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring “not a single euro” is lost, positioning Greece as a beacon of stability amid European and global uncertainties. He credited reform-oriented fiscal policies and consistent investment execution for growth rates surpassing the EU average and supporting job creation.
In parallel, public investment efforts continue robustly. The 2025 Public Investment Budget of €14.6 billion was fully executed, with resources projected to increase to €16.7 billion in 2026. A new National Development Program for 2026–2030 has been approved at €16.6 billion, plus €5.8 billion to finalize carryover projects from 2021–2025, backed by a streamlined institutional framework.
On EU structural funds, Greece successfully closed the 2014–2020 period without losses. In the 2021–2027 cycle, it ranks fourth in absorption, with projects like the high-pressure natural gas pipeline to Western Macedonia, the Patras–Pyrgos highway, and various social/business supports advancing on schedule.
Under the Just Transition Development Program (aiding regions shifting from traditional energy), calls for proposals cover 92% of the €1.6 billion budget, approved projects represent 64%, and legally committed funds stand at 41%.
The Hellenic Development Bank has boosted SME lending, approving €2.9 billion in loans across over 16,500 facilities in 2025—90% to firms with under 50 employees and turnover below €10 million. The “My Home II” program has secured €1.5 billion in approvals, aiding more than 12,000 families.
Greece’s venture capital and private equity scene has expanded to 42 funds managing €2.75 billion in combined capital, with €732.2 million invested in innovative entrepreneurship in 2025, elevating the ecosystem’s total value beyond €10 billion.