Spain leads EU member states in allocating NextGeneration funds to public administration

A report from the European Court of Auditors reveals that Spain has allocated more NextGeneration EU funds to its own public administration than any other member state. Auditors estimate that approximately €11.033 billion has been reserved for administrative structures, representing about 22% of the total funds allocated to the country.

State-owned and state-backed companies have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the Recovery Plan, receiving a total of €12 billion. This amount accounts for over 15% of the €80 billion in direct non-repayable grants and nearly 40% of the €32 billion awarded to large companies and joint ventures. Among the top recipients are public entities such as ADIF, which received €5.8 billion, and TRAGSA, which received €1.4 billion.

While the auditors note there is a legal basis for directing funds toward public administrations, they expressed concern regarding the lack of results. The Court criticized the “scant results” obtained, suggesting that the funds have failed to resolve long-standing inefficiencies and characterizing the situation as a “lost opportunity” for modernizing public services.