Newsletter: Spain pushes ahead with Covid recovery plan while funds are delayed
Thursday, 22 april 2021
Good morning Future is blue readers,
This week we are covering the Spanish recovery plan to fully understand how the Spanish government is working to take full advantage of the EU Next Generation programme. We have done a podcast interview with Miguel Carrión, Funcas Europe analyst, and Carlos Carnicero Urabayen, Future is blue editorial coordinator. More details below.
See at the end what we are reading these days.
Spain pushes ahead with Covid recovery plan while funds are delayed
In the last few weeks, the Spanish Government has made public more details of how it is planning to spend the EU recovery funds. The plan is for an impressive set of 110 major investment projects, including boosting digitalization in both the private sector and the public administration, speeding up energy transition and boosting human capital. In 2021 alone, there would be 27 billion euros in investment spending. And a total of 72 billion euros is expected by the end of 2023.
To shed light on this programme, how it compares with that of other EU countries and the possible implications of funding delays due to Germany’s constitutional court appeal, don't miss the insights by Miguel Carrión of Funcas Europe in this podcast.
What we are reading
The European recovery plan: The figures for Spain
Enrique Feas and Federico Steinberg from Elcano Royal Institute have put together in this paper the numbers that matter to get a clear idea of the transformative potential of the Next Generation programmer for Spain.
Will summer slow the spread of COVID-19? New research sheds light
New research explores whether the COVID-19 virus could behave seasonally - more prevalent in winter and less so in the summer
Is the European Union’s investment agreement with China underrated?
The agreement includes new rules on subsidies, state-owned enterprises, technology transfer and transparency, which will improve effective market access for EU companies operating in China, explain Uri Dadush and Adnré Sapir in this new Bruegel paper.
Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on EU industries
This report by CEPS analyst Jorge Núñez Ferrer cover the impact of Covid on the EU economy and on strategic value chains and also includes some recommendations for measures needed to help industries recover from the shock.
Have a nice week!
Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director