The Government of Spain held, during the past year, up to a total of 110 meetings of sectoral conferences with the autonomous communities, within the framework of dialogue and understanding between administrations. This is reflected in the ‘Report on the Activity of the Cooperation Bodies of 2024’, of which the Council of Minister has taken note today.

The main conclusion reached by the report is that the system of cooperation bodies in Spain, consolidated after more than four decades of existence, constitutes the basis of the multi-level governance model, with the Conference of Presidents and the Sectoral Conferences as main axes.

These bodies have been confirmed as the main forums for discussion and adoption of agreements on key political and social issues, such as the territorial distribution of PRTR funds or energy and migration crises.

The Conference of Presidents has held 28 meetings to date, of which 22 have taken place in the period between 2020-2025.

The Report reflects that there are 44 active sectoral conferences, which held a total of 110 meetings in 2024, a considerable increase over the previous year, when 87 were convened. A total of 152 agreements were adopted at these meetings, 120 of which were decision-making and 32 of which were coordination agreements.

In addition, the report highlights the remarkable capacity for adaptation and continuous improvement of the governance system, which has incorporated normative innovations and digitalization processes such as Royal Decree 440/2024, of 30 April, on operating criteria of the Sectoral Conferences or Order PJC/385/2024, of 30 April, creating the Cooper@ Digital Platform for Collaboration between Public Administrations.

In short, the progress achieved thanks to the cooperation between the State and autonomous communities in 2024 in key areas of public policies shows that cooperation is not an end in itself, but an essential element in our Autonomous State and an essential tool to offer more effective public services, improve decision-making and strengthen transparency and accountability.