"To achieve the objectives of the Pnrr, the Ministry of University and Research is perfectly in line with the European timetable formulated when the Plan was drafted": the same ministry notes this in a note, with reference to what was highlighted by the Court of Accounts.
The latter had detected delays in achieving the European target of 3,150 Research projects of Relevant National Interest (PRIN) to be assigned by December 2023, only about a tenth having been assigned, despite the estimates of the Ministry of University and Research (Mur ) envisaged 3,050 projects, in just over a year, linked to the PRIN 2022 (to be added to the 308 of the PRIN 2020, in addition to those of the PNR 2021).
The Court of Auditors had also announced that it had invited the ministry to appropriate formal discussions with the competent state and European structures, recommending the monitoring of the "PRIN Projects" and of the actual impact of the recent regulations which have extended the number of evaluators.
"As for the discussion started with the Court of Auditors, which requests clarifications on the achievement of the European target relating to 3,150 research projects of significant national interest (PRIN) with a deadline set at 31 December 2023 (as the Court of Auditors itself specified), the Mur is currently engaged in the evaluation phase of the applications advanced in relation to two different Prin tenders", notes the ministry.
For the first tender, which expires on 31 March 2022, 7,817 project proposals were submitted;
for the second, which expired on 30 November last year (and therefore, following discussions with the Court of Auditors), there are 4,475 candidates.
"Precisely the high number of applications - concludes the note - required a series of indispensable procedural streamlining implemented by the Ministry, to allow the deadline for implementation of the Pnrr to be respected, as pre-established":
