The Government of Spain extends and speeds up aid for the reconstruction of La Palma

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The Minister for the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños, has reiterated the Government's commitment to the reconstruction of La Palma, an island to which the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has travelled seven times, and which receives continuous visits from ministers to listen to the demands of its inhabitants.

Bolaños affirmed that the Executive's response is unprecedented and will continue until the Canary Island is completely rebuilt: "There is a future in La Palma and we will work tirelessly so that its inhabitants can see their life projects rebuilt".

New support measures for La Palma

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaAs announced yesterday by the President of the Government of Spain, the Council of Ministers has today approved urgent measures to extend and speed up existing aid for reconstruction and economic recovery. In addition, it has agreed a direct grant to the regional government for the tourism sector and doubled its contribution to the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform.

The estimated amount of the measures approved so far, including today's, for the reconstruction and economic revival of La Palma amounts to almost 400 million euros, of which 138 million euros has been mobilised in three months, the minister stressed. Bolaños added that when scientists confirm the end of the volcano's eruption, the Executive will begin the island's reconstruction phase.

Urgent measures for reconstruction

The initiatives for reconstruction and economic revival target housing, farmers, herders and seafarers in particular.

In the case of total destruction of the main residence, the maximum amount of aid already applied for or to be applied for is increased to 60,480 euros. This aid complements that being received by those affected from the Insurance Compensation Consortium and the regional administrations. "The aim is to compensate for the real value of the homes lost by the inhabitants of La Palma who have been affected by the volcano," said the minister.

In the field of agriculture and fisheries, new aid amounting to 12 million euros is approved to compensate for damage caused by volcanic activity.

In the area of culture, a grant of 150 billion euros is given to the Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development to finance cultural and artistic activities for the affected population.

Félix Bolaños has also advanced that, in tax matters, debt deferral is established until 2 May 2022 for all tax returns that have to be filed before the day following the entry into force of this rule.

And in relation to social security, workers included in the Special Scheme for Seafarers who have not been able to fish will not have to pay social security contributions until they are able to resume their activity.

The minister added that all companies based on the island will be able to benefit from the COVID funding lines approved in the wake of the pandemic, and not only those directly affected by the volcano's eruption. In addition, they are exempted from the obligation to continue the activity until 30 June 2022.

Subsidies related to tourism

The Executive has approved a new package of direct aid totalling 17.6 million euros for the Regional Government of the Canary Islands to finance actions related to tourism and to support the activity of the self-employed and SMEs.

Bolaños explained that 4.6 million euros will be earmarked to promote tourism on the island once circumstances allow. Specifically, flights of national and international airlines that operate with La Palma will be financed and tourist vouchers of 300 euros will be created for exclusive use on the island throughout 2022.

The remaining 13 million euros will be allocated to business dynamisation measures. This is direct aid to set up new businesses, expand establishments and production capacity or diversify production. The minister specified that the only requirement is that these projects must be maintained for at least three years.

The Government will also support the 'Starmus Festival-La Palma: the island of stars', to be held in July 2022. It is one of the most important astronomy festivals in the world, bringing together experts in space exploitation, astronomy and planetary science.

Financing of the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform

The Council of Ministers has amended the agreement between the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Canary Islands Government for the creation of the Consortium of the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform (Plocan).

The Executive will contribute 10.5 million euros between 2022-2028, as will the Canarian government. Thus, the annual investment will reach 1.5 million euros from next year, double the amount allocated in 2021. The Minister for the Presidency pointed out that this platform will have 74% more funding than in the last 10 years.

The decision will make it possible to continue the collaboration initiated in 2007 between the two administrations for the design, construction, equipment and operation of the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform. It consists of a set of experimental facilities and laboratories, located on the edge of the continental shelf, for cutting-edge research, technological development and innovation in marine and maritime fields.

New Law on Sports

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe Council of Ministers has approved referring the Draft Bill on Sports to Parliament, which seeks to update the current law, dating from 1990, to adapt the legal framework to a much more complex, developed and professionalised environment than that of three decades ago.

The text, promoted by the Higher Council for Sports and the Ministry of Culture and Sport over the last year, has benefited from the contribution of other ministries, the regional governments, federations, trade unions and the different public and private agents in the sector.

The Minister for Culture and Sport, Miquel Iceta, has stated that the main objective of the law is to ensure that sport continues to grow: "We understand that sport is an essential contribution to health, to cohesion and also to changing people's lifestyles.

As the main innovation, the regulation expressly recognises the right to physical activity and sport as essential activities, in conditions of equality, without discrimination and in safety.

Equality, inclusion and non-discrimination

The text provides security and stability to different sportspeople and updates the model of the different entities. "We have not left any sector without work," said Iceta, who referred to both professional and non-professional, high-level and high-performance and occasional sportspeople. School sport, university sport and sports volunteering are also governed.

Equality is promoted at all levels, including women's sport. "There will be an obligation to present equality reports because we want women not only to have the greatest encouragement to do sport, but also to ensure that their presence in all bodies is as equal as possible," Iceta explained.

All sports bodies should have protocols on prevention and action for situations of discrimination, abuse and sexual harassment.

The project guarantees the rights of groups such as LGBTI and makes progress in the promotion of inclusive sport and sport done by people with disabilities. It also promotes the integration of all sportspeople under the same federation "in order to increasingly reduce this dual sporting structure in accordance with people's different abilities".

Professional sport and international competitions

Iceta pointed out that the presence of Spanish athletes in international competitions - "they are the cohesion and pride of the country" - is the encouragement, support and promotion in the law, and the role of the Spanish Olympic Committee in this respect is also determined.

At the level of the professional leagues, governance and transparency measures are established, as well as the obligation to have economic control mechanisms in place.

Ebro flooding

The Executive has agreed to declare several autonomous communities seriously affected by Civil Protection emergencies due to the floods of the last week, as announced by the President of the Government of Spain during his visit to Aragon, Navarre and La Rioja on 14 December.

Report on institutional cooperation

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe Council of Ministers has analysed the "Report on the Cooperation Bodies in 2019 and 2020", and the "Report on the functioning of the services of the General State Administration in the territory".

With regard to the former, Isabel Rodríguez highlighted the reactivation of the Conferences of Presidents and the Sectoral Conferences, which bring together, respectively, the presidents of the state and regional governments and the ministers and councillors for the different areas: "Dialogue has to be the tool that makes us relate to the different administrations and loyal cooperation between all of us the instrument on which we anchor our work".

Sectoral Conferences have tripled in two years, from 56 in 2018 to 169 in 2020, mainly due to the management of the pandemic. In addition, three new ones have been created, on the 2030 Agenda, for the Demographic Challenge and another on the National System of Qualification and Vocational Training for Employment.

The Minister also highlighted the important work carried out throughout the country by the Government Delegations and Sub-delegations, which is included in the second report. In 2020, the peripheral state administration dealt with 2.3 million citizen enquiries.

International cooperation

The Government has authorised 27.5 million euros to organisations for malaria vaccinations. "Spain has participated in the research and now also wants to participate in the production and distribution of this vaccine," said Rodríguez, who pointed out that it is mainly aimed at the African population.

On the other hand, five million euros has been approved for the World Health Organization, 3.5 million for COVID vaccination through the international instrument COVAX and 1.5 million for UNICEF.

International Migrants Day

On the occasion of International Migrants Day, which will be commemorated tomorrow 18 December, the Council of Ministers has approved an institutional declaration in which it reiterates its commitment to building an increasingly inclusive society, expresses the importance of the policy of inclusion of migrants in society and announces the development of a Strategic Framework for citizenship, inclusion and against racism and xenophobia.

Change of Minister for Universities

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaAt the beginning of her speech at the press conference following the Council of Ministers, and after condemning the latest murder of a woman in Girona as the result of male violence, the Government spokesperson announced that the new Minister for Universities, Joan Subirats, will take office next Monday, following the resignation of Manuel Castells, the current head of the department.

Isabel Rodríguez pointed out that, in his last Council of Ministers, Castells received the affection of all his colleagues and especially of the President of the Government of Spain, who thanked him for his contribution to Spain and Spanish universities.

Rodríguez highlighted Castells' influence in the academic and intellectual sphere and the contribution of his administration to equality in access to university, thanks to the reduction of fees and the increase in the number and amount of scholarships.

Non official translation