The Recovery Plan for Europe, enacted by the Regulation (EU) 2021/241 on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), sets the EU's budget response to the COVID-19 crisis. It specifies that the recovery should be aligned with climate objectives and targets.

Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094 previously established a European Union Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. It took measures to ensure that a just transition to a climate-neutral economy will not be undermined by the COVID-19 crisis. It dedicates up to EUR 10 000 million in 2018 prices for programmes supporting territories in their transition towards a climate-neutral economy (article 2).