The regional government’s proposal is to reuse the remaining funds rather than return them to the central government. «We believe this solution would make full use of resources that have already been territorially allocated to Aragón and direct them toward investments with a clear economic and social impact,» Bermúdez de Castro says in the letter.
The minister highlights the efforts made by the Aragonese government to maximize the implementation of the funds and help meet the plan’s objectives. He explains that, although milestones and targets have been met in the vast majority of areas, some resources have remained unused because of more efficient implementation, a lack of demand or unforeseen circumstances beyond the regional government’s control.
A REQUEST ARAGÓN ALREADY SUBMITTED IN SEPTEMBER
The Finance Department had already raised the issue last September with the Directorate-General for European Funds, asking it to study the mechanisms needed to reuse the remaining funds within the region. However, the regional government says it has still not received a response.
The Government of Aragón considers the measures approved by the central government in recent months to address the treatment of these funds to be positive, although it warns that their scope and practical application are limited and do not offer a general solution for the autonomous communities.
Bermúdez de Castro argues that reusing the resources would make it possible to undertake new investments without changing the distribution of funds agreed among the regions. In this regard, he has pointed out that housing, healthcare infrastructure and climate-control systems in schools require a significant investment effort.
The minister also recalled that the autonomous communities must address these needs with a regional financing system that he considers «obsolete and insufficient» to cover the rising cost of essential public services. «There is an opportunity to give these resources an immediate, tangible use directly linked to citizens’ needs,» he maintains.
Finally, the Aragonese government proposes that the solution be negotiated and agreed upon by the Ministry and the autonomous communities, as the issue affects all territories. Bermúdez de Castro expressed his willingness to develop the proposal and cooperate with the central government to establish the mechanism needed to implement it.
