The new regulation, approved via Decree-Law 131/2022, seeks to encourage priority and strategic investments, with a particular focus on zero-emission technologies. Companies aiming for strategic status must meet minimum requirements for investment in productive fixed assets and direct job creation. These criteria are adapted by region, with lower demands for Terres de l’Ebre, the Lleida region, Alt Pirineu i Aran, or the Penedès Vegueria.
This regulatory framework targets legal entities contributing to the social, economic, and territorial development of Catalonia. A key requirement is the absence of ongoing investigations for non-compliance with environmental or labor regulations. The law provides for preferential and urgent administrative processing, halving the usual deadlines.
The regulation defines strategic companies as those considered vital for the country's functioning, welfare state, and security, including sectors such as energy, telecommunications, transport, or defense. The aim is to guarantee basic services and foster skilled jobs in renewable energy and technology industries.
The law also streamlines the management of renewable energies, such as photovoltaic, wind, and gas, granting the Generalitat Government the authority to decide their territorial location without direct dialogue with citizens, with the power to expropriate properties if resistance is encountered. This unilateral decision-making has drawn criticism for the lack of citizen input and potential collateral damage.
“"The law made by the Republicans and now executed by the Socialists is not fair to citizens or the territory, and most importantly, citizens are not given a voice to decide; they can only give opinions, say whatever you want because when you finish, we will do what we want; this is the government's maxim."
The implementation of this law comes with some delay compared to the European decarbonization agenda. Despite environmental discourse, Catalonia has been slow in adopting clean energies. Now, with the urgency to meet European deadlines, the new government, led by Salvador Illa, is expected to launch the Strategic Business Processing Acceleration Plan (PLATER) to comply with the established timeline.
