The Junta de Andalucía has presented the mid-term review of the Andalucía FEDER 2021-2027 Program at the IV FEDER Monitoring Committee held on March 12 at the Palace of Carlos V in the Alhambra of Granada. This review has resulted in a proposal to improve the Program, highlighting the scheduling of new priorities and specific objectives through which the Andalusian Government will contribute to the development of the Strategic Technologies Platform for Europe (STEP), an initiative created by the European Union that aims to reduce the Union’s dependencies in strategic sectors. As part of this, an allocation of 236.1 million euros is proposed for actions such as the development and innovation of deep technology in microelectronics at the new research center associated with IMEC in Málaga (valued at 117 million euros) and two projects related to clean energy generation through nuclear fusion: Tokamak Smart in Seville, with an allocation of 8 million euros, and IFMIF DONES in Granada (with 100.5 million euros), as well as the project for the recovery of environmental liabilities through the regeneration of acid mine water.
The Councilor for Economy, Finance, and European Funds, Carolina España, explains the importance of improving the FEDER program to adapt investments to the current needs of the Andalusian economy and ensures that with these three major investments, «Andalusia’s transformation, which the regional government is promoting, will continue.» In this regard, she emphasizes the importance of «having strategic technologies to gradually reduce dependence, not only of Andalusia and Spain but of the entire European Union, on other countries in these sectors.»
Monitoring Committee
The Monitoring Committee included representatives from the European Commission, the Ministry of Finance as the Managing Authority, the General Directorate of European Funds (DGFE) of the Junta de Andalucía, managing bodies, and other organizations. Among the actions proposed in the modification of the Program to promote the competitive and sustainable growth of Andalusia, highlights the adiabatic bioclimatization project in educational centers, the construction of the Smart Green Cube ‘Agridomo’ in Almería as the headquarters of the Andalusian Agriculture Technological Innovation Hub, and the creation of financial instruments to support SME competitiveness.
Within the context of the committee, three projects based in Granada co-financed with FEDER were visited to reflect the impact of European funds on the region. The first visit was to the strategic research project on T-cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T) at the Genyo Center, framed in the Andalusian Strategy for Health Research and Innovation. The funding line supporting this project, with over 3.9 million euros, has notably contributed to fostering excellence research in the Andalusian public health system and the generation of new products, services, and procedures to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that most affect Andalusian citizens.
Secondly, the committee’s representation traveled to the municipality of Dehesas Viejas to learn about the landfill mining project that has recovered over 1,700 meters of degraded areas from the old landfill, transforming it into a natural space for the enjoyment of residents and visitors, with a total investment of over one million euros.
Additionally, visits were made to the works of adaptation, consolidation, and restoration of the Alhambra which, with an investment exceeding 6 million euros, have preserved the architectural integrity while ensuring the safety and accessibility of this monument for visitors.
Andalucía FEDER Program 2021-2027
The Andalucía FEDER 2021-2027 Program has a total allocation of 4,408.7 million euros in total public expenditure in the current version, being one of the main financial instruments of the European Union to reduce disparities between European territories and improve the standard of living in the less privileged regions.
With the support of this fund, the Junta de Andalucía is committed to a smarter, more competitive, greener, connected, and social region, where, in the proposed modification, the development of fundamental strategic technologies for Europe will also be promoted.