The informative session, held at the Delegation of the Government in Central Catalonia, follows similar meetings in Girona and Tarragona. It is part of a cycle that will tour all the vegueries (administrative regions) of the country to publicize the new temporary program supporting local governments in direct management of European funds.
This team offers intensive support to municipalities, especially those with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, throughout the entire lifecycle of a European project. The goal is to increase municipal participation in programs directly managed by the European Commission and improve the territorial distribution of beneficiary projects.
The Minister of European Union and External Action, Jaume Duch, highlighted the service's core idea: “That the size or administrative capacity of a municipality should not determine whether it can participate in a European project.” He noted that preparing a European bid can represent a significant workload for small technical teams.
Duch emphasized the potential of Central Catalonia, with its industry, agri-food sector, and natural and cultural heritage, as a foundation for participating in European projects aligned with the priorities of responsible tourism and territorial cohesion.
The event also included participation from the Government Delegate in Central Catalonia, Elia Tortolero, and other departmental representatives such as Agustí Fernández de Losada, Carlota Rosés, and Juan Luis Aparicio.
The Department also promotes other services, including the Directorate General for Support to the Internationalization of Local Governments, which facilitates participation in international networks, and the #FonsUECat newsletter, providing weekly alerts on European funding opportunities.
