The reaction of the European Commission. What happens to the money from the PNRR for the reform of special pensions
European Commission, Photo: HotNews.ro / Victor Cozmei
The European Commission announced that it has taken note of the CCR's decision regarding the reform of the magistrates' pension system and that it is analyzing the request of the Bucharest authorities regarding the 251 million euros that Romania should fulfill through milestone 215 of the PNRR.
“The Commission has taken note of the decision of the Constitutional Court in Romania regarding special pensions. The reform of special pensions is part of the 3rd payment request that Romania submitted in December 2023. In May 2025, the Commission, in the decision on implementation, suspended the payment of 231,000,000 euros in relation to milestone 215, which refers to the reform of special pensions”, stated a spokesperson of the European Commission.
Romania had the deadline of November 28 to solve the problems identified in the EC decision of May 2025.
“On November 28, 2025, the Romanian authorities submitted a request in which they explained how they resolved the suspended milestones. At the moment, the Commission is evaluating this request and the information it contains and will inform the Romanian authorities about the conclusions at the appropriate time. The Commission cannot comment on the ongoing evaluations,” the quoted source added.
The law on magistrates' pensions passed the Constitutional Court. It goes to promulgation. How the vote was divided and how the CCR motivates its decision / Tough messages from the ICCJ and the CSM. All reactions
The judges of the Constitutional Court decided on Wednesday, after five adjournments, that the law increasing the retirement age of magistrates and reducing the amount of service pension is constitutional. The decision was taken by 6 votes to 3. Now, the project proposed by the Bolojan Government will go to the president for promulgation. The law passed the CCR with the vote of six of the nine judges, according to HotNews sources.
The steps announced by Minister Pîslaru
The Minister of European Funds, Dragoș Pîslaru, says that he is going to send an official request to the European Commission, to ask for the reanalysis of the payment request in the amount of 231 million euros, money from the PNRR conditioned on the fulfillment of the milestone regarding the modification of the magistrates' pensions.
What's next regarding the 231 million euros from the PNRR after the CCR decision on magistrates' pensions
The minister explained that, after President Nicușor Dan promulgates the law, “Romania will be able to demonstrate that it has fulfilled the reform undertaken through the PNRR”.
The next step before the law comes into force is the promulgation by the president. This will not happen immediately. Nicușor Dan cannot promulgate the law immediately after the CCR decision because it is necessary for the Cotroceni Palace to receive several documents from the Court, including the reasons for the decision, sources from the Presidential Administration explained to HotNews
“This is followed by the official submission of this evidence to the European Commission, for which we will ask for the reanalysis of payment request No. 3,” Pîslaru says.
“Even in the context of the regrettable delay of more than two months after the deadline of November 28, I will make all diplomatic efforts, formal and informal, to try to save the situation of the milestone of special pensions and the 231 million Euros, non-reimbursable European money”, he concludes.
