Spain's Ministry of Finance has sent all autonomous communities the first written draft of its proposed new regional funding model, according to reporting by Diari ARA published on Friday. For Catalonia, the immediate local significance is financial: under the draft, the region would receive an additional €4.686 billion each year if the model were approved.

That would affect the Generalitat, Catalonia's regional government, which funds major public services including health, education and social care. The proposal has not yet been adopted, and the figures reported relate to a draft sent by the ministry rather than a final agreement.

First written outline sent after January meeting

According to ARA, the ministry led by Arcadi España circulated the document in writing to every autonomous community on Friday. It is the first time the Spanish government has set out the pillars of the proposal in written form.

Until now, the funding plan had only been presented verbally at the January meeting of the Consejo de Política Fiscal y Financiera, the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy, the forum where the central government and the autonomous communities discuss regional finances.

  • The draft was sent on Friday, according to sources cited by ARA.
  • It is the first written version shared with the autonomous communities.
  • The model had previously been outlined verbally in January at the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy.

Catalonia among the biggest beneficiaries in cash terms

The ministry considers the new approach beneficial for all autonomous communities, according to the report. In absolute terms, however, Catalonia would be among the regions that gain the most, with an extra €4.686 billion a year under the proposed model.

ARA reported that the approach was agreed with Esquerra, the Catalan pro-independence party that has negotiated with the Ministry of Finance. The report also said the Generalitat remained involved in talks up to the last minute.

In absolute terms, Catalonia would receive an additional €4.686 billion per year under the new funding model, according to the figures reported by ARA.

No official draft document, detailed breakdown or publication link had been provided in the source materials at the time of writing, so the reported figures could not be independently checked against a ministry text. What is confirmed from the reporting is that a written proposal has been sent and that Catalonia's estimated gain under that draft is €4.686 billion a year.

For residents, the key point for now is that this is a funding proposal, not a measure already in force. Any concrete effect on Catalan public spending would depend on the plan being formally advanced and implemented through the state's funding system.

Reported by Diari ARA.