• The 2020 budget bill has passed the first stage of debate and will continue its progress through the parliamentary process
  • Aragonès stressed the “strong social commitment” reflected in the new budget, which envisages “unprecedented expenditure” on items that strengthen the welfare state
The 2020 budget bill has passed the first stage of debate and will continue its progress through the parliamentary process.

Vice-President and Minister of Economy and Finance Pere Aragonès said today that the Catalan government budget for 2020 “marks the start of a stage of progress and begins to shape the Catalonia of 2030 that we want to build together”. The vice-president made these comments during the first stage of debate on the public accounts, which was successfully completed this afternoon with votes in favour from Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) and Catalan Republican Left (ERC), and the abstention of Catalunya En Comú Podem (Catalonia in Common–We Can).

Aragonès stressed the “strong social commitment” reflected in the new budget, which envisages “unprecedented expenditure” on items related to the provision of basic public services. “An unequivocal commitment to the welfare state is essential to Catalonia’s strength in the future.”

The draft budget for 2020 is clearly expansive and aims to support and promote sustainable growth and shared prosperity.

 

Key figures from the draft budget

Non-financial expenditure: €27.5 billion, €3 billion more than in the 2017 budget (+12.6%)

Capital expenditure: an increase of €419 million over 2017 (+26.4%)

Revenue forecast for the financial year 2020: €26.9 billion, €4.2 billion more than in 2017 (+18.4%)