ECR First Vice-President Robert Jonkman has been appointed rapporteur for the opinion on the Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) during the ECON commission meeting of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). This opinion will directly reflect the EU regions experience with the implementation of the RRF regulation, as well as with the preparation for the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) and will also make recommendations for ensuring an effective, important and territorially fair implementation of the RRF and of the NRPPs.
 
Upon his appointment Mr Jonkman, also serving as Alderman of the municipality of Opsterland, highlighted the importance of local and regional authorities' involvement in the set-up and implementation of NRRPs: "We consider that the NRRPs should address concrete local and regional shortages and a centralistic approach should be avoided where possible".In this regard, he questioned how the European Parliament could help regions and Member States in which the regions and cities have not been fully or at all involved in the preparation of NRRPs. Mr Jonkman said that time was probably lacking but "this is not a good enough excuse". The ECR First Vice-President claimed that "even when we, as local and regional authorities, are consulted, we are seen as stakeholders, but not really as partners". This has to change.The Recovery and Resilience Facility entered into force on 19 February 2021. It will make €672.5 billion in loans and grants available to support reforms and investments undertaken by Member States. The aim is to mitigate the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.

The opinion will be up for adoption at the ECON commission meeting in September and adoption at CoR plenary is planned for December 2021.