This European aid was promoted as the fuel for recovery after the crisis, aiming to transform the productive fabric of Spain and especially Asturias. Yet, many small businesses found it hard to reach the shore as the covid crisis faded. The Spanish Association of Executive Directors reports that 300,000 small businesses disappeared by December 31. The Asturias Chambers of Commerce concur that Next Generation funds are not reaching SMEs as much as hoped. Carlos Paniceres, head of the Oviedo chamber, notes that expectations grew faster than what the business world actually received from European funds.
As La Nueva España advances, the state is directing part of the funds for Asturias (218 million of the 566 assigned to the region) toward long-planned major infrastructure projects. Current contracts exceed half of the money sent from the central government and tend to favor large business groups. The FCC runs a joint venture issuing 25 million bills, and Ferrovial, among five others, remains a lead player. While these large projects drive European fund momentum, the stated aim was to reactivate SMEs, which account for about 99% of Asturias’ business fabric. (Source: regional budget overview; attribution to local authorities)
The President of the Principality, Adrián Barbón, marked the moment with a public event. Asturias ranks as the second autonomous community with the best implementation percentage of European funds. He claims that 137 million of the 350 million euros the regional administration reports as received from Brussels are already in execution. (Source: regional government statements)
A government subsidies database lists twenty active calls from regional government subsidiaries, yet many potential beneficiaries have not yet received funding. The University of Oviedo has awarded one of its early grants for requalification. Data from the subsidies portal shows that only the first of 84 benefit calls under the Ministry of Industry’s Plan Moves has been distributed and certified. Some targeted individuals and SMEs have benefited, but Iberdrola reportedly received multiple times the sustainable mobility aid compared with Asturya through different entities, and Endesa saw similar impact. (Source: official subsidy records)
Luis Nogueras, president of the Avilés Chamber of Commerce, notes a general delay in implementing Next Generation funds and particular difficulty in reaching SMEs. Business leaders warn that excessive bureaucracy in Brussels aid discourages many companies from applying, while control requirements from the administration strain small teams that must hire external professionals to manage the requests. This effectively erodes a subsidy’s profitability and pushes SMEs to confront special challenges. (Source: chamber statements)
In response, the Chambers of Commerce urge the national government to cooperate in distributing community benefits and to assist business owners with the necessary procedures to request support. Paniceres also argues that Just Transition funds, another European funding channel, have not landed in Asturias, highlighting fourteen years of experience in managing European funds. (Source: chamber communications)
Felix Baragaño, president of the Gijón Chamber, reiterates that SMEs face major difficulties in accessing help. Gijón’s leaders push for streamlined procedures, and many small business owners simply do not know where to obtain guidance. The Digital Kit line has shown promise for SMEs because its procedures are much simpler than other Transformation Plan grants. (Source: chamber updates)
State employers are pressing the government to model faster funding processes after countries such as France or Germany, where obtaining funds is notably more agile. (Source: public sector feedback)