- Euskadi already benefits from €2,747 million from the European Funds of which €1,155 million are managed directly by the Basque Government
- 1,019,772 people are affiliated to Social Security and 684,800 work with indefinite contracts
- The Minimum Vital Income is received by 65,158 people, 65,885 enjoy the Social Electric Bonus and 521,135 people have seen their pensions revalued
The delegate of the Government in the Basque Country, Marisol Garmendia, has today presented the edition of the Complying Report corresponding to the first half of 2024, in which the accountability of the work carried out by the Government of Spain in the Basque Country is recorded. “The Funds promote capillary action in the Basque industrial and economic fabric. In fact, 50,090 adjudicators are already counted. More than half of the funds that have arrived in the Basque Country are destined for microenterprises and SMEs”, said Garmendia during his exhibition. In addition to that 52% of the funds intended for micro-enterprises and SMEs, 19% have been allocated to large companies, 13% to UTES, 12% to foundations and others and the remaining 4% to households.
Among the main figures presented by Marisol Garmendia highlights that the Government has already allocated 2,747.8 M€ to the Basque Country from the European Funds of the Recovery Plan to support the transformation of the Basque economy, of which 1,154 M€ are managed by the Basque Government and the remaining 1,593 M€ have been executed directly by the State through ministerial calls. The resolution rate is 75.9%.
Impact on employment
28% of the funds have been directed to the Urban and Rural Agenda to develop plans and actions for environmental sustainability that transform our towns and cities into friendly, welcoming, healthy and aware areas of coexistence. Twenty-four per cent went to modernize the industrial fabric, 15 per cent to achieve sustainable infrastructure and 13 per cent to Science and Health.
The Government’s effort to improve working and contracting conditions has resulted in the good figures with which the Basque labour market advances. “The impact on employment is having very beneficial effects with record numbers. Social Security exceeds one million members and never had so many people been registered or signed so many indefinite contracts: a total of 684,800 people,” said Garmendia.
Strengthen the Welfare state
Measures to protect vulnerable populations are also maintained, as Garmendia highlights. Thus, “there are already 65,885 people in the Basque Country who benefit from the Social Electric Bonus”. Garmendia also stressed that “in the Basque Country, the pensions of 521,135 people have been revalued and €48.5 million have been allocated to improve long-term care, social services and universal accessibility”.
Young people form another group that clearly benefits from the arrival of these European Funds. In fact, a total of 95,694 Basques and young Basques already enjoy great discounts to be able to travel during these summer months thanks to the Young Summer Program launched by the Government of Spain.
Fair ecological transition
Marisol Garmendia has detailed during the presentation of Complying with some of the items aimed at promoting a fair ecological transition. “29.4 M€ have been allocated for adaptation to flood risk and the PERTE of the water cycle, 4.1 M€ for self-consumption and storage with energy sources and renewable thermal systems, 5.5 M€ for thermal and electrical generation in municipalities of demographic challenge, 15.8 M€ for the modernization of irrigation, 12.8 M€ for the Community of irrigators of Valdepaderna or 21.1 M€ for the promotion of the circular economy in companies”, he concluded.