Court of Auditors: NRP targets in line but expenditure still low

The 39 European targets of the NRP due in the first half of 2024 are all achieved, resulting in an overall progress rate of 43% (+6 points compared to the previous half-year). The results are even better when looking at the national procedural steps, which show an achievement rate of 88%. This is what emerges from the Semi-annual Report of the Court of Auditors to Parliament on the state of implementation of the NRP. If, however, the achievement of the European objectives envisaged in the implementation path is 'in line with the agreed deadlines', the financial progress 'continues to show deviations from the timetable', the Court points out. As at 30 September 2024, the level of expenditure exceeded 57.7 billion, 30% of the Plan's resources and about 66% of those that were planned by 2024.

As of 30 June, 63% of the 72 reform measures (compared to the 6% investment figure) were on track to meet the European targets under the NRP. This share will rise to 66% with the achievement of the additional 17 European targets associated with reforms in the second half of 2024. This is also noted by the Court of Auditors in its half-yearly report on the state of implementation of the Plan. This, the Court explains, is a progress that concerns all the missions: all of them have a share of completed reforms exceeding 45%. The financial progress of the 7 reforms with allocation of funds is more contained; as of 30 September 2024, compared to the total of the associated resources, the expenditure incurred stood at 4% (about 278 million out of 6.9 billion). In 3 out of 7 cases, the expenditure incurred was zero, while in the remaining cases the figure was less than 31%.

The progress of the 13 rail investments envisaged by the NRP 'is proceeding substantially in line with the updated timetable: with the achievement of the two targets envisaged in the current six-month period, the state of progress will stand at 39%. A similar rate of implementation also emerges in terms of expenditure: on 30 September 2024, the latter amounted to just under EUR 8.9 billion, approximately 39% of the total endowment'. This is also noted by the Court of Auditors. The majority of the initiated projects (about 77%) are in the construction phase. For 11% they are waiting for the authorisations or design and, for 8%, for the awarding and conclusion of the contract. Only 4% of the initiatives have reached the acceptance stage. Although the investments appear to be in line, looking at the expected date of closure of the various phases - the Court of Auditors indicates - about 20% of the projects appear to be showing delays. The need to counter the infrastructural gap is reflected in the territorial articulation of the projects, 48.2% of which concern southern regions and islands, the accounting magistrates point out. However, if we turn our attention to the distribution by amounts, the weight of projects located in the North grows strongly (about half of the total financial size).