Spending Cap Approved for 2027 Budget Process

The Catalan government has set a non-financial expenditure ceiling of €43.191 billion for 2027, a 5% increase from the €40.524 billion allocated in 2026. This step, confirmed by Economy and Finance Minister Alícia Romero in a TV3 interview, marks a crucial stage in launching the annual budget drafting process. The decision is expected to be formally approved at Tuesday’s Executive Council meeting. Romero described the ceiling as an "essential and extremely important" step, although she noted the detailed design of the full budget has not yet begun.

"This is an essential and extremely important step to start drafting the budget, even though we are not yet at the stage of having a concrete design,"

Budget Priorities and Political Coordination

Key policy areas highlighted for investment in the upcoming budget include housing, mobility and infrastructure, public services, particularly healthcare and education, and economic development. Romero confirmed that the government has already briefed ERC and the Comuns on the spending ceiling, stating: "They know about it, we’ve discussed it," and emphasised that both coalition partners are aware the executive is now beginning the budget design phase. The current figure is based on existing revenue projections and the current regional financing model. However, if a new financing agreement is approved by the Spanish government in December, the Generalitat would need to adjust the spending ceiling accordingly.

Historical Context and Fiscal Planning

The proposed 2027 ceiling represents an increase of €2.667 billion over the 2026 limit. The 2026 budget itself had seen significant growth, rising 22.8% from previous years, according to official data from gencat.cat. The government’s ability to finalise and pass the 2027 budget will depend on maintaining political alignment with its parliamentary support partners.

Primary sources: govern.cat, eb.gencat.cat. Reported by Racó Català, aldia.cat, Parlament de Catalunya, regio7.cat, Nació Digital, racocatala.cat, 3CatInfo, europapress.es, rtve.es, segre.com, Públic, radio onda cero, elmon.cat, elnacional.cat, viaempresa.cat.