<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Spain will have €79.9 billion to distribute between regional funds and agricultural aid between 2028 and 2034, according to the European Commission's recent EU budget proposal, which is almost 20% less than what it has been allocated in the current period.</strong></h4> The total allocation for Spain amounts to €88.1 billion, according to the new document published by the EU executive, which shows the distribution of funds by Member State from the new "megafund" for the national and regional plans that will be included in the future EU accounts, as reported by EFE. However, approximately €3 billion of this amount must be allocated to measures related to migration and border management, and another €5.3 billion to the Social Climate Fund, the bloc's instrument to support citizens most affected by the energy transition. Thus, the "general" allocation for Spain, after these two items are deducted, is €79.9 billion and represents the amount that Member States will have to allocate starting in 2028 to what currently goes to the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as to the fisheries sector. Several countries also state that this budget seems "too large." This amount is almost 20% less than what Spain has allocated in the current budget, since the current equivalent would amount to almost €100 billion in regional funds and agricultural and fisheries aid. Specifically, according to the latest data from the Commission, Spain is allocated approximately €29 billion from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the current Cohesion budget until 2027, approximately €13 billion from the European Social Fund (ESF), €1 billion from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, and €2.8 billion from the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). Regarding the CAP, Spain is currently allocated approximately €11.4 billion from the European Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and approximately €40 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers (€37.4 billion at 2021 prices, a higher amount when adjusted for inflation).
