Remember 2020,

the pandemic

hit hard,

and the EU

was facing its deepest recession ever.

The EU's response was NextGenerationEU,

an unprecedented investment

plan of more than €800 billion.

Just as vaccines

reached all Europeans at the same time,

we worked to ensure

that the economies

of all European Union countries

could bounce back rapidly.

The NextGenerationEU

has been a boost of confidence

for our economy,

making it competitive

and fit for the 21st century.

It is modernizing our economies

with a unique combination

of investment and reforms.

Hundreds of projects

funded by NextGenerationEU

are already delivering

tangible results for Europeans.

From offshore

wind farms to electric trains.

From top notch digital public services

to world class hospitals,

ensuring better access

to prevention and treatments

and improving digital health services

for Europeans,

whether they live in a big

city or in the countryside.

NextGenerationEU's supports areas like

clean technology

digitalisation and skills.

As well as reforms to allow people

to better find their way to the labor market

and quality jobs,

making pension systems more fair and sustainable.

Small and medium sized enterprises

in Czechia

and Slovakia

will have access to €280 million

to support them in the clean

and digital transition

and to

develop the skills of their employees.

Now imagine this

you are living in Klagenfurt,

Austria and are student in Graz.

What is now a three hour train ride

in the future

will only take 45 minutes,

thanks to a new 130 kilometer railway

being built.

This is a NextGenerationEU investment

worth more than half €1 billion.

This new railway is going

to improve the lives of more

than 1 million people in the region.

And soon,

both Sicilians and tourists

will benefit

from a modernized train line

from Palermo to Catania.

In the Netherlands,

a €40 million loan will help to scale up

innovative battery technology

for renewable

hydrogen production and storage.

Reforms in green tech will make it easier

to roll out investments,

reducing red tape.

Cleaner energy

and a healthier planet for everyone.

That's what we want.

Europe is no stranger to the

devastating effects of climate change.

That's why NextGenerationEU

invested in better

flood defenses

and improved early warning systems.

As a result, millions of families

in countries affected by floods

such as Slovenia, Belgium, Germany

or Italy are benefiting

from better protection

against climate related disasters.

NextGenerationEU helps building

an economy that works for people

and businesses,

ensuring social fairness and prosperity.

At the same time,

EU action

is unlocking the potential of public

and private investment

to boost innovation and job creation.

The European Union's

economic recovery

is a story of unity,

prosperity and innovation.

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