The European Commission has approved Croatia's eighth payment request of 896.9 million euros as part of the Next Generation EU instrument, bringing the total amount of recovery funds disbursed to Croatia to 7.3 billion euros, which constitutes 73% of the country's national recovery and resilience plan. This approval highlights Croatia's ongoing progress in meeting the necessary targets linked to its recovery strategy amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its assessment, the Commission found that Croatia had satisfactorily met six key milestones and 11 target values outlined in its National Recovery and Resilience Plan, demonstrating significant advancements in the implementation of required reforms. The Commission sent its preliminary evaluation to the Economic and Financial Committee, which now has four weeks to issue an opinion on the payment. The approval emphasizes the collaborative efforts between Croatia and the European Union to bolster economic recovery and resilience.

The payment request, submitted on December 15 of the previous year, is contingent upon the issuance of a favorable opinion by the Economic and Financial Committee and a subsequent decision by the Commission to release the funds. This ongoing support is critical for Croatia as it aims to navigate the post-pandemic recovery and leverage European Union resources to foster long-term economic stability and growth.