March 5 (SeeNews) - Romania has attracted 8.6 billion euro ($9.7 billion) in EU funds during the past 18 months, EU funds minister Rovana Plumb said.
"At EU level, the average absorption rate is 29%, and Romania has a 28% rate. At present, we have attracted 8.6 billion euro worth of structural and investment funds, and we hope to increase this amount during 2019," Plumb said in a talk show broadcast by public network TVR1 on Monday evening.
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Plumb said mid-2017 has been used as a reference point, as that was the time when EU funds management authorities received their certifications, following a long deadlock.
In August 2017, Romania overcame a major setback in the process of absorption of EU funds for the 2014-2020 programming period by certifying all management authorities in charge of verifying projects. Because of this setback, Romania has been unable to absorb money for this programming period before mid-2017.
Rovana Plumb also said that some 3 billion euro of the total funds attracted since mid-2017 have been directed towards agriculture, not including direct payments made to farmers.
In May, the European Commission said Romania stands to benefit from 27 billion euro ($31.09 billion) of EU cohesion funds during 2021-2027 in constant 2018 prices, or 30.76 billion euro in current prices taking inflation into account.
During the 2007-2013 period, Romania had at its disposal some 19 billion euro, of which it managed to absorb some 90%, data from the country's ministry of EU funds shows.
($= 0.8827 euro)