• Marisol Garmendia: “The Government of Spain is strongly promoting the sustainable and renewable transformation of the Basque industry and economy by supporting industrial decarbonization projects and green energies such as hydrogen”
• Euskadi has received, until June, 4,000 million euros from European Funds that have reached 30,000 beneficiaries

In absolute terms, the Basque Country has channeled more than 507 million euros from the PERTE funds to industrial projects that seek to accelerate the transition of the Basque industry towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly economic model. The figure represents 8.5% of the total funds that the State has allocated to these matters, placing the Basque Country well above its relative demographic and economic weight in Spain.

The delegate of the Government of Spain in the Basque Country, Marisol Garmendia highlights “the determined commitment of the Government of Spain to transform and modernize the Basque industry and economy, making it more competitive, sustainable and green. Hence the impulse that through the PERTE is making to decarbonization projects of the Basque industry and promotion of renewable energies such as the green hydrogen corridor.”

“This policy of sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint is not incompatible with prosperity and progress, on the contrary. The data are showing that both purposes can be combined and, in fact, Spain is the economy of Europe that grows the most and creates the most employment, as well as the Basque Country that grows at 2.1%. This commitment to the decarbonization of the Basque economy is shared by institutions, companies and technological agents.”

The Spanish Government’s commitment to clean energy not only responds to an environmental requirement, but also to an opportunity for economic development and the generation of quality jobs. The deployment of European funds in this area is making it possible to promote large-scale projects in the Basque Country in strategic sectors linked to electric mobility, green hydrogen, industrial energy efficiency in companies such as steelworks, cement plants, and new energy infrastructures.

4,000 million euros of Funds NEXT

“The Spanish Government has already allocated almost €4,000 million to the Basque Country from the European Funds and is making a decisive contribution to the development and modernization of the economy, the growth of quality employment and the well-being of Basque citizens. The aid reaches the Basque economy in all areas and sectors that need to invest in digitalization, electrification and decarbonization to improve its competitiveness and face the challenges of the current international volatile situation,” says Marisol Garmendia.

Until June of this year, the Basque Country received 3,962 million euros from the PTRR, of which 1,299 million were managed directly by the Basque Government.

The Basque Country is taking advantage of this historic opportunity thanks to a powerful institutional and business structure aligned with the objectives of the plan. The distribution of funds is demonstrated by nearly 30,000 beneficiaries from which micro- and SMEs take 43% of the funds, large companies 34% and the rest goes to households, social entities, foundations and administrations.

One of the most transformative bets of the PTRR for the future is the PERTE (Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation), conceived as levers for the structural transformation of our economy. The Government of Spain has promoted 12 PERTE in key areas, from the electric vehicle to health, through the energy transition or digitalization. Within this strategy, the PERTE of the Electric and Connected Vehicle has meant for the Basque Country until the month of June of the current year an injection of 553.5 million euros, 14% of the national total, consolidating the territory as a reference pole in sustainable mobility and industrial innovation. This investment will strengthen the competitiveness of the Basque automotive value chain, boost the creation of quality jobs and move steadily towards the decarbonization and digital transformation objectives of the sector.

The highest average pension in Spain

Another fact to take into account in the balance sheet of the last semester of the incidence that the Government of Spain has in the Basque Country is the consolidation of Basque pensions as the highest in the State. Basque pensioners charge an average of 1,834 euros per month, 494 euros more than in 2018 when Pedro Sánchez began to govern. In the whole country the average pension is of .1,506 euros.

Other relevant figures are that Euskadi has 1,029,145 employees (75,362 more than in June 2018), 173,518 indefinite contracts (106% more than in 2019) or that the Minimum Wage is paid by 61,000 workers.