The Aran Valley, located in the Lleida province, will receive €4,200 per resident annually from the Generalitat de Catalunya to finance public services. This new funding system, agreed upon by the Conselh Generau d'Aran and the Catalan government, allocates €42.7 million each year, with an additional €2 million in support over four years.
The bilateral commission between the Conselh Generau d'Aran and the Generalitat approved the new 'Singular and Specific Financing System for the Aran Valley' during a meeting at the Aranese institution's headquarters. The Conselh Generau stated in a press release that this approval marks a decisive step in consolidating the region's self-governance and its ability to make decisions about its present and future with greater political, institutional, and financial autonomy.
Strengthening Self-Governance and Services
The agreement, which also includes specific mechanisms for incorporating new service and competence expansions, is designed to adapt to the evolution of Aranese self-governance in the coming years. It formally recognises Aran's unique political, legal, and administrative status. This model will significantly improve the Conselh Generau's financial capacity to provide essential public services, such as healthcare, social services, emergency management, and the promotion of its distinct language and culture. It will also help drive public policies tailored to the valley's specific needs.
Maria Vergés, the Síndica d'Aran, described the system as a "historic step" towards consolidating political autonomy and ensuring that decisions regarding citizens' needs can be made locally with the necessary resources. Vergés also highlighted that the recognition of the Conselh Generau's financial co-responsibility forms the basis for exercising real and effective self-governance.
Future Financial Review
This new system replaces the previous model, which had been in effect since 2019 and was extended from 2023. A specific clause in the agreement allows for the creation of a commission to study, within two years, the Conselh Generau's participation in Generalitat taxes, including income tax (IRPF), among others. This forward-looking provision aims to further integrate Aran's financial autonomy within the broader Catalan tax framework.
