The Institute for the Just Transition (ITJ), an autonomous body of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) a new call for aid aimed at supporting small investment projects in the 197 municipalities included in the 15 Just Transition Conventions, affected by the closure of coal mines, coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants.
In Andalusia there are 16 municipalities covered by the three Just Transition Agreements of Carboneras, Puente Nuevo, Valle del Guadiato and Los Barrios: Carboneras (Almería); Belmez, Los Blázquez, Espiel, Fuente Obejuna, La Granjuel, Obejo, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, Valsequillo, Villaharta, Villanueva del Rey, Villaviciosa de Córdoba, all within the Guadiato Valley in Córdoba, as well as Algeciras, La Linea de la Concepción, Los Barrios and San Roque, in Cádiz.
With a budget of 10 million euros, the objective of this new line of aid – with funds corresponding to the 2022-2027 programming period of the ITJ – is to promote specific business investment initiatives in the areas affected by the energy transition that encourage job creation, help maintain existing jobs and boost economic activity.
Investments between 30,000 and 500,000 euros
Business projects with investments of between 30,000 and 500,000 euros may benefit from this aid and undertake to maintain the existing employment during the three years following the receipt of the aid or create at least one job in the case of new businesses.
For its concession, the ITJ will consider the investment made and job creation. To this end, the recruitment of people registered on the ITJ’s job boards will be rewarded, with the aim of promoting the creation of priority employment for workers affected by the closure of mines and power plants. Likewise, the creation of jobs for women, young people, people over 45 years of age and people with disabilities will be rewarded.
The environmental and social benefits of the projects, their employability, their tractive effect on the territory and their innovative character will also be assessed. Small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to obtain additional scores.
The conditions of this aid will strengthen the localization of industrial projects, as well as other sectors of activity, in the 197 municipalities included in the 15 Fair Transition Agreements: Carboneras, Puente Nuevo, Valle del Guadiato and Los Barrios in Andalusia; Aragón; Suroccidente, Valle del Nalón, and Valle del Caudal and Aboño in the Principality of Asturias; Bierzo-Laciana, Central Mountain Leonesa-La Robla, and Guardo-Velilla, in Castilla y León; Meirama and As Pontes in Galicia; Alcudia in the Balearic Islands; Zorita in Castilla-La La; and Garoña in Castilla and Leon.
The ITJ is holding information and orientation days for interested companies in all areas of fair transition on specific elements of the call for proposals.
40 million for job-creating projects
The call for aid for small investment projects comes on top of the call for aid for job-creating business projects in areas of fair transition, worth EUR 40 million and published on 7 March. This call is intended for projects with a minimum investment of 100,000 euros and which create at least three jobs.