These are the 26 Malaga municipalities that will share 120m euros of EU funds for sustainable development projects
Spain's Ministry of Finance has approved a dozen initiatives in the province with an environmental, economic and social impact
European funds keep pouring into the coffers of public administrations in Spain for "sustainable development" projects and initiatives. The Ministry of Finance has just published the 242 projects to which it has allocated almost 1.8 billion euros of ERDF funds within the Edil plan for the 2021-2027 period. With the help of local co-financing, the total investment will amount to more than 2.5 billion euros, benefiting a total of 971 municipalities across Spain, most of which have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.
The Edil subsidies are 30% higher than the Edusi plan, which covered the 2014-2020 period. Moreover, the number of projects has increased by 40% (from 173 to 242). On the other hand, the number of municipalities has quadrupled, going from 243 to 971. Two out of every three municipalities (65%) have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, which demonstrates the priority given to less developed towns.
The number of beneficiary municipalities has been multiplied by four compared to the previous Edusi call
A total of 83 projects have been approved in Andalucía. This will benefit 358 municipalities, with funding of 735 million "to promote their sustainable development from an environmental, economic and social perspective". In fact, Andalucía is the region with the highest number of projects approved and the largest funding (41% of the aid).
On a provincial level, Malaga has the most funding in Andalucía, with 119.4 million euros for up to 12 projects, which will benefit 26 municipalities in the province: Vélez-Málaga, Benalmádena, Alhaurín de la Torre, Alhaurín el Grande, Malaga, Nerja, Antequera, Rincón de la Victoria, Marbella, Cártama, Torremolinos, Ronda, Benalauría, Parauta, Faraján, Jubrique, Júzcar, Alpandeire, Atajate, Benadalid, Cartajima, Cortes de la Frontera, Yunquera, Algatocín, Jimera de Líbar and Genalguacil.
Cohesion criteria
The allocation of funding has been determined "according to criteria of territorial cohesion and competitive tendering". Therefore, less developed areas have been given priority over more developed areas, as regulated by the European Commission. A total of 1 billion euros have been earmarked for less developed areas, 581 million for areas in transition and 173 million for the more developed regions.
To be eligible for these grants, local councils had to identify the main challenges they face in the medium term (social, economic, environmental or demographic) and address them from an integrated town model, with the participation and involvement of local figures.
The municipalities have submitted an integrated action plan (PAI) to outline the scope of action
The municipalities submitted an integrated action plan (PAI) to outline the scope of action to be financed by the aid. This includes the projects to be executed, their integrated approach, budget details and expected results. More than 40 areas of intervention were established around digitalisation and local economic dynamisation, energy efficiency, climate change prevention, circular economy, water resources, sustainable urban transport, social inclusion or urban, cultural and tourist heritage, among others.
Other criteria taken into account in the resolution are integrated planning, the transformative capacity of the projects, the capacity of each local board to co-finance, project viability and coordination with other programmes. The projects may be implemented until 2029.
Almost 12 million for Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga town hall has been provisionally selected to receive 11,948,905 euros from the ERDF funds, with a co-financing rate of 85% and a total public investment of 14,057,335 euros. Mayor Jesús Lupiañez and first deputy mayor Jesús Pérez Atencia have expressed their "satisfaction" to have been selected among "the most valued in Andalucía".
The project presented by Vélez-Málaga, called 'Ubi Nix Fit Sal', aims to recover and enhance historical heritage, improve public space, promote sustainable transport, boost the cultural and economic life of the town, strengthen the local economy, generate employment, protect local values and improve connectivity, pedestrian access and green areas in the seafront area.
8.9 million for Nerja
Nerja will receive 8.9 million euros of European funds to finance a strategic project of a cultural, urban transport, environmental and commercial tourism nature. The actions exceed 10.5 million euros, of which 85 % will be financed with European resources and the town hall will assume the remaining 15 % (1.5 million euros).
Mayor José Alberto Armijo outlined the key actions: the construction of the new Giner de los Ríos cultural and social centre, the refurbishment of Calle Manuel Marín and its connection with Calle Granada, the installation of new underground and surface-level waste containers in various areas of the historic centre, as well as tourism and commercial promotion initiatives based on new technologies.
