A coalition of Catalan municipal and rural development associations is set to take its case directly to Brussels, organising a conference at the European Parliament on 4 March. Their mission is to advocate for stable and sufficient European Union funding to secure the future of Catalonia’s rural and fishing communities beyond 2027.

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The initiative, spearheaded by the Catalan Association of Municipalities (ACM), the Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia (ARCA), and the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, comes at a critical time. The EU is beginning to shape its next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), for the 2028-2034 period. The groups are focused on ensuring the continuity of two key financial instruments: the LEADER programme for rural development and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (FEMPA).

A United Front in Brussels

The conference aims to reinforce the vital role local bodies, specifically the Rural and Fisheries Local Action Groups (known as GAL and GALP), play in distributing funds and driving community-led development. These groups argue that a bottom-up approach is essential for the effective use of EU resources.

According to an ACM statement reported by Europa Press, the delegation will demand “stable and sufficient” European financing beyond 2027. Members of the European Parliament Javi López (S&D), a Vice-President of the Parliament, and Diana Riba (Verds/ALE) will host the event.

The day’s agenda includes an inaugural session featuring high-profile representatives. Speakers will include Meritxell Budó, president of the ACM; Sergi Méndez, president of ARCA; and Xesca Ramis, representing the government of the Balearic Islands. Òscar Ordeig, the Catalan Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food from the Generalitat de Catalunya, will deliver the closing remarks.

From the Catalan Parliament to the European Stage

This lobbying effort culminates a campaign that began late last year. The Brussels conference publicly presents the “Crida Mediterrània” (Mediterranean Appeal) manifesto. This foundational document first debuted at the Parliament of Catalonia in Barcelona on 27 November.

The manifesto explicitly calls for the 2028-2034 EU budget to guarantee “the continuity of differentiated instruments for agrarian, rural, and fishing policies.” It stresses the importance of preserving the LEADER and FEMPA programmes within the EU’s structural funds, ensuring they are endowed with “stable and adequate financing.”

This push for dedicated EU support comes as Catalan authorities grapple with various domestic funding challenges. The regional government recently faced a stalled budget and public pressure campaigns, including a major petition for more health funding, highlighting the intense competition for public resources within Catalonia itself.

The Future of Local Development

The LEADER programme is a cornerstone of EU rural development policy, promoting a bottom-up approach where local actors design and implement strategies for their own territories. Similarly, the FEMPA fund, with a budget of over €6 billion for the 2021-2027 period, supports sustainable fishing and the economic revitalisation of coastal communities.

For many small municipalities across Catalonia, from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean coast, these funds are not abstract figures but essential lifelines. They support everything from small business creation and tourism infrastructure to environmental conservation and the modernisation of fishing fleets.

By taking their case to the heart of EU decision-making, the Catalan associations hope the EU recognises and prioritises these communities’ unique needs in the crucial budget negotiations to come. Their success could determine the trajectory of local development in the region for the next decade.