The regional government asks the European Commission for greater flexibility regarding European funds for housing and youth employment.
The regional government asks the European Commission for greater flexibility regarding European funds for housing and youth employment.
The regional government is proposing greater flexibility regarding European funds allocated for housing and employment, according to Marcos Ortuño, the Regional Minister for the Presidency, Youth, External Action, and Emergencies. He announced the proposal following a meeting with Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director for Policy Strategy, Country Intelligence, and Youth at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC).
Ortuño added that the proposal aims to "turn the Region into a pilot testing ground for Southern Europe to trial policies regarding independent living, employment, and the retention of young talent, all linked to European funds." The Regional Minister called on the European Commission to provide "a fast-track budgetary route and greater flexibility in European funds so that regions with a high percentage of young people receive direct support for housing and employment."
He noted that the Region boasts one of the highest birth rates in Spain and Europe—with a youth population exceeding 300,000—"in contrast to the widespread aging trend characterizing 80 percent of other territories across the continent." Against this backdrop, Ortuño proposed establishing the Region of Murcia—"in alignment with the European Youth Strategy"—as the major pilot testing ground for Southern Europe to trial advanced policies focused on retaining tech talent, fostering green employment, and facilitating early independent living. In this regard, the official responsible for youth affairs called on EU institutions for greater flexibility in funding and cohesion instruments, ensuring that regions with a high percentage of young people have access to fast-track channels for direct financial support—specifically targeting housing, digitalization, and opportunities for youth in both urban and rural areas.
International mobility programs—particularly Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, and DiscoverEU—were also examined, as the aim is to "continue making progress so that traveling, studying, and training abroad is not a privilege reserved for the few, but is accessible to all young people."
Finally, the regional minister outlined the tools utilized by the region, such as the Youth Correspondents network, Eurodesk, the Estrenarte festival, and the Eurodyssey program, among others.