Spain will receive an additional €1.8 billion under REACT-EU to boost employment, healthcare and social inclusion.
- 20 December 2022
The funds will help maintain employment through short-time work measures, and support workers and jobseekers in acquiring the skills needed for a more digital and green economy. The funds will also reinforce the healthcare sector and support Spain's economic recovery from the pandemic.
The new funding, managed under the European Social Fund (ESF), will support two national and six regional programmes:
- The national programme for employment, training and education: €1.1 billion will be invested in short-time work measures (‘Expedientes de Regulación Temporal de Empleo') to protect workers and businesses and support the country's recovery. These measures allow businesses experiencing economic difficulties to reduce their employees' working hours, whilst providing them with income for the hours not worked. This offers flexibility and avoids lay-offs. REACT-EU support for this totals €2.2 billion in 2021 and 2022 and will help almost 750,000 workers.
- The national programme for social inclusion and the social economy: €260 million will assist people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and give them access to basic services, such as temporary accommodation, food, water and medical care, education, employment, healthcare and more. Funds will also be used to host and integrate people that are fleeing through investments in infrastructure, equipment and staff. Over 100,000 people, including 30,000 children, are expected to benefit from this support.
- In Andalusia, €239 million will help maintain and create jobs through employment support for vulnerable people. The funding will reinforce the health and social care sectors and their capacities to provide care to COVID-19 patients, notably through early detection of the virus. It will also support teaching in educational centres to prevent early school leaving and improve educational results of students facing difficulties.
- In the Canary Islands, €80.1 million will help mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting employment, in particular of young people, the self-employed and entrepreneurs. It will also promote skills development through vocational education and training. In addition, the funds will improve healthcare and social services by training and hiring more staff.
- In the region of Valencia, €59 million will mainly support vocational education and training programmes. Over 33,000 people facing difficulties in finding employment are expected to obtain the skills needed to work in healthcare and other sectors.
- In Murcia, €32.8 million will support the hiring of over 240 healthcare professionals. Regional foster care services will also be reinforced to help foster care families and assist 30 unaccompanied minors who fled Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- In the Balearic Islands, €30.2 million will help health services fight the COVID-19 pandemic by recruiting more medical staff, socio-health specialists, nurses, health technicians, care workers, guards and others. Vocational education and training programmes will help nearly 5,000 young people obtain professional qualifications.
- The Rioja region will receive €2.4 million to help unemployed people access the labour market through career guidance, job creation and vocational training. The funds will also help recruit more teachers and other staff for almost 90 schools.
Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
These additional REACT-EU resources for Spain are demonstrating that Cohesion Policy continues to be at the forefront of the economic and social recovery. REACT-EU supports small businesses, allows people to stay in employment and ensures good healthcare all over Europe. Our territories and people are at the centre of our recovery efforts.
Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights
This additional REACT-EU funding for Spain is great news for the country and its social and economic recovery from the pandemic. The new resources will help people stay in employment and create more jobs. Spain will also invest in people’s skills so they can navigate the ever-changing labour market. The funding will also go towards sustaining education and providing the healthcare, thereby improving preparedness for potential future health crises.
Background
With the additional €1.8 billion adopted, Spain will receive in total €14.5 billion under REACT-EU to boost Spain's recovery and facilitate investments in the green and digital transition.
As part of NextGenerationEU, REACT-EU provides a top-up of €50.6 billion (in current prices) over the course of 2021 and 2022 to the 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy programmes of all Member States. Measures focus on supporting labour market resilience, jobs, small and medium-sized businesses and low-income families. Measures also lay a future-proof foundation for the green and digital transition and a sustainable socio-economic recovery.
To host and integrate people fleeing the war in Ukraine, the Commission has also paid €3.5 billion of pre-financing payments to Member States under REACT-EU since March 2022. The most recent comprehensive package ‘Flexible Assistance to Territories (FAST-CARE)' offers further flexibility in Cohesion Policy funding while also increasing pre-financing payments by an additional €3.5 billion to be paid in 2022 and 2023. The final date of eligibility for REACT-EU expenditures is 31 December 2023.
The REACT-EU funds complement the resources Spain receives from the Recovery and Resilience Facility to boost Spain's economic recovery post-pandemic.