In Cáceres this Friday, María Jesus Montero, Spain’s minister of finance and public affairs, and Elisa Ferreira, the European Union Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, announced that they would visit Spain to present the Association Agreement 2021-2027. A total of 36,682 million euros will flow through European structural funds during this period.
The leaders signed a joint declaration during an event held at the Helga de Alvear Museum of Contemporary Art in Cáceres, with the presence of Guillermo Fernández Vara, president of the Junta de Extremadura, and representatives from multiple institutions.
The agreement outlines strategic lines and investment priorities for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (FEMPA), and the Just Transition Fund (FTJ).
Spain adds the full set of programs, bringing the EU funding allocation to 36,682 million euros. The deal complements the objectives of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (NextGenerationEU), aimed at transforming the country’s production model.
From the total, 35,562 million euros come from EU cohesion policy funds, which position Spain as the third-largest beneficiary in the 2021-2027 period after Poland and Italy. The distribution includes 23,397 million from the ERDF, 11,296 million from ESF+ and 869 million from FTJ, with FEMPA contributing 1,120 million to Spain.
Overall, the Partnership Agreement represents a total investment of 59,722 million euros, marking a 15% increase over the 2014-2020 operational period.
The finance minister emphasized that EU cohesion policy seeks to reduce regional disparities and promote convergence, highlighting the inequality gaps that persist in some European regions. She praised Ferreira’s backing for funding compliance, noting the long-standing commitment to social justice and regional balance.
She emphasized that the regions in Spain with the lowest per-capita income must continue advancing toward convergence. These funds are reinforced by NextGenerationEU, which aims to boost the economy, energy autonomy, and digital transition to enhance the competitiveness of enterprises.
Ferreira, the EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, noted that Spain has benefited from the Union’s investments since joining in 1986, including modernization of public infrastructure and economic stimulation. She also referenced the new international context shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing events such as the war in Ukraine, which necessitated funding for medical supplies, business support, and refugee assistance. Cohesion policies symbolize solidarity and mutual support among member states.
Ferreira also stated that without EU intervention, social and economic collapse would have been severe, and she highlighted that development should occur in the regions where it is most needed. Extremadura, the signing venue, was cited as an example of a region committed to renewable energy and sustainable industrial projects—the EU’s future path.
She called for new European development to address child poverty, promote youth employment, and advance value creation and innovation in the labor market. She urged all member states to act and affirmed that the Spanish government is looking after both regions and people to build a stronger Europe.
Five major political goals
In this framework, the Spain Association Agreement 2021-2027 centers investment around five policy areas: research support, digitalization, SME assistance, energy efficiency, the green transition, and social investment.
Policy Goal 1 envisions about 8.3 billion euros in European aid to bolster research, support enterprises, and accelerate digital transformation. Policy Goal 2 allocates more than 9.9 billion euros to improve energy efficiency, deploy renewable energy, implement climate adaptation actions, promote a circular economy, and protect biodiversity.
Policy Goal 3 carries a donation of 1.2 billion euros focused on upgrading rail corridors, ensuring rail access to ports of general interest, promoting clean vehicle usage, and improving public transport services.
Policy Goal 4, on social investment, prioritizes employment, education, vocational training, cohesion, and the fight against poverty and child poverty, totaling 12.3 billion euros in aid. This constitutes a strong emphasis on social solidarity in OP4.
Finally, Policy Goal 5 channels European funding for urban and non-urban development through integrated investment programs exceeding 2.1 billion euros.
Feder funds total 23.397 billion euros across 19 regional programs, while the multi-regional ESF program accounts for 11.296 billion euros spread over 19 regional programs and 4 multi-regional programs. FEMPA allocates 1.120 billion euros and FTJ 869 million euros to a single multi-regional program.