EU Member States were required to submit by 31 March 2025 the mid-term review of their EU-funded programmes to the European Commission, including for the 2021–2027 Just Development Transition Programme (JDTP). In this context, Greece’s Managing Authority of the Just Development Transition Program (EYDAM) prepared — and the Monitoring Committee approved — the Mid-Term Review Report along with a proposal for the programme’s first revision (7th written procedure), both of which have been submitted to the Commission for approval.
Main points of the JDTP 2021-02027 revision:
- Reduction of funding under Priority 2 “Energy Transition – Climate Neutrality” by €120 million.
- Creation of a new, dedicated priority within the JDTP for the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), reallocating €80 million from Priority 2.
- Transfer of €5 million from the JDTP to the Sectoral Programme “Technical Assistance & Beneficiary Support 2021–2027.”
- Establishment of two distinct priorities for the South Aegean (core programme actions and technical assistance) due to regulatory requirements (€70 million).
- Increase of Priority 1 “Strengthening and Promoting Entrepreneurship” by €14.8 million, drawn from Priority 2.
- Redistribution of resources across various programme actions.
- Adjustment of the programme’s indicator system and/or documented revision of 2029 targets.
In its submission to the Monitoring Committee , The Green Tank raised concerns over the sharp €120 million cut to resources for energy transition and climate neutrality (Priority 2) in favour of the new STEP priority and increased support for entrepreneurship under Priority 1. It warned that despite early implementation hurdles, these substantial cuts could create more problems than they solve.
The Green Tank proposed, among others:
- To explicitly include energy communities among eligible beneficiaries in new calls under Priorities 1 and STEP.
- To launch dedicated calls for self-production projects up to 100 kW, with or without storage.
- To create new calls funded by Priority 2 to support energy community self-production projects established by citizens or farmers.
- To increase funding under the revised programme for energy communities (currently €12.5 million) and household clean energy self-production (€1.4 million), as these allocations are insufficient.
- To develop a larger dedicated programme for installing heat pumps from Priority 2 funds, noting the proposed €20.77 million is inadequate.
- To reintegrate residential energy upgrades — either standalone or via energy communities — into the JDTP, as these were excluded in the revision, and to allocate additional resources for such projects.
- To restore and reinforce the original energy storage targets set in the initial JDTP.
The Green Tank also highlighted the need to explore synergies between the JDTP and the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy, so that targeted interventions could be included in upcoming programme revisions.
Additionally, it proposed creating a targeted programme under Priority 4 to support women scientists in transition areas, helping them secure well-paid, high-skilled jobs and thereby strengthening family retention and social cohesion. Alternatively, instead of a dedicated call, it suggested modifying evaluation criteria under Priority 1 to give additional points to proposals for women-led enterprises or those committing to hire women.
Finally, to boost youth entrepreneurship in transition areas, The Green Tank recommended establishing a dedicated programme under Priority 1, tailored to young people’s needs (greater flexibility, less bureaucracy, diverse sectors), encouraging them to stay and invest locally. It also suggested setting up a long-term financing mechanism from JDTP or national Just Transition resources (ETS revenues) to sustainably support youth entrepreneurship in lignite regions.
