The Commission has granted an additional €1.1 billion to Spain under the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU).
- 18 February 2022
The new resources for the Spanish operational programme on Employment, Training and Education of the European Social Fund (ESF) support short-time work schemes (Expedientes de Regulación Temporal de Empleo or “ERTEs”). This helps more than 125,000 people to keep their jobs, and supports businesses to maintain their operations, paving the way to a resilient and lasting economic recovery.
Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, said: “Every person and every job counts on the way out of this crisis. Thanks to REACT-EU support, Spain will be able to keep more than 125,000 people in their jobs. The EU stands in solidarity with all Member States in protecting jobs and incomes throughout the pandemic crisis.”
Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “So far, REACT-EU has been an important instrument to help citizens and regions recover from the coronavirus crisis and implement a fair, green and digital transition in the EU. I am happy to see that this support is continuing, making sure that no region and no person are left behind.”
Spain has already received €21.3 billion to support short-time work schemes via the Temporary Support to Mitigate Unemployment, Risks and Emergency (SURE) mechanism.
REACT-EU is part of NextGenerationEU and provides €50.6 billion in additional funding (in current prices) over the course of 2021 and 2022 to the 2014-2020 cohesion policy programmes.