Madrid – On Tuesday, the Spanish Government officially submitted a request to Brussels for a technical addendum to the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. This step is crucial for securing the fifth disbursement of over 7.5 billion euros in ‘Next Generation EU’ funds, as well as the first two loan disbursements that are expected to total nearly 25 billion euros by the end of 2024.
During the VIII meeting of the Inter-ministerial Commission for the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, chaired by Pedro Sánchez, the President of the Spanish Government, the team reviewed the plan’s progress and discussed the next steps for furthering Spain’s transformation towards a greener and more digital economy.
One of the key topics was the formal request for a technical addendum, which has been a collaborative effort with the European Commission. The Spanish Government noted that this addendum includes the advancement of over 50 milestones and objectives that have already been met. Consequently, the fifth disbursement, alongside the two loan disbursements, will expand from 29 milestones to more than 80.
This will ensure that by the end of 2024, Spain can officially request the fifth transfer disbursement exceeding 7.5 billion euros and two loan disbursements totaling about 15 billion euros, bringing the overall amount to approximately 25 billion euros.
The Commission also discussed the reprogramming of funds aimed at supporting the recovery efforts in areas affected by the recent DANA (cold drop weather phenomenon). The Spanish Government is actively collaborating with the European Commission to integrate a ‘DANA Component’ into the Recovery Plan, with an official request for this addendum expected in the coming weeks.
Additionally, the creation of the State Network Consortium for the Development of Advanced Therapy Medicines and the National Neurotechnology Center Consortium was approved during the meeting.
President Sánchez highlighted the achievements of the Recovery Plan, noting that over 44 billion euros in resolved funding calls have been authorized, benefitting close to 840,000 individuals, 40% of whom are micro-enterprises and SMEs. Agreements with the ICO and the EIB facilitating around 56 billion euros in funds have also been established, making Spain the leading recipient of transfer funds from the Recovery Plan within the EU.
Furthermore, strategic projects for economic recovery have reached 17.4 billion euros in funded calls, promoting initiatives such as battery gigafactories in Sagunto, Navalmoral de la Mata, and Zaragoza. The Next Generation EU funds are also instrumental in developing nearly 25,000 social rental homes and creating over 337,000 new vocational training positions, among various other accomplishments. (December 3)
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