Research Conference: Understanding the impact of the Recovery and Resilience Facility

Evaluating Reforms and Investments Under the RRF

The European Commission presents a research conference examining the impact of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the EU's €650 billion post-COVID instrument supporting reforms and investments across diverse policy areas. As the final year of RRF implementation begins, this conference brings together the academic and research community with practitioners from public administrations and international organizations to discuss research findings and preliminary evidence on the facility's impact.

Conference Focus

The conference examines the RRF's impact from multiple perspectives, featuring research work collected through a 2025 call for papers alongside analysis conducted by Commission services. This comprehensive assessment provides opportunities to evaluate how the facility has supported member state reforms and investments while identifying lessons learned for future policy development and implementation.

Event Structure

The conference opens with a keynote speech by Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification, followed by a panel discussion among high-level policy practitioners and experts sharing insights on RRF impact. The program features three thematic sessions presenting research papers on the RRF, each followed by audience Q&A. Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, will deliver closing remarks.

An additional technical session will take place online on January 28, 2026, from 3- 5 pm CET, discussing selected papers submitted through the call for papers.

Research Presentations

The conference showcases the best submissions from the call for papers launched in 2025, presenting original research examining RRF implementation and outcomes. Selected papers address various dimensions of the facility's impact, providing empirical evidence and analytical insights into how the instrument has functioned across member states and policy areas. These presentations enable dialogue between researchers and practitioners on findings, methodologies, and policy implications.

What to Expect

This conference provides a platform for assessing the Recovery and Resilience Facility's effectiveness as implementation reaches its final year. Academic researchers, public administration practitioners, and international organization representatives will engage in substantive discussion on evidence gathered regarding the facility's impact on reforms, investments, and economic recovery. The event facilitates knowledge exchange between research and practice communities while informing understanding of large-scale EU policy instruments and their implementation challenges and successes.