Summary: | This article analyses the possible consequences for Spain and Catalonia in thelight of recent changes of the financial perspectives of the European Union.First, the article reviews the budgetary relationship between the EuropeanUnion, Spain and Catalonia; it then presents and evaluates the financial perspectivesapproved for 2007-2013. This is followed by a detailed analysis ofthe consequences for Spain and Catalonia of the main allocations includedin these perspectives, such as the cohesion policy, policies for growth, andforeign policy. Finally, the conclusions evaluate the impact of these perspectiveson Spain and Catalonia, highlighting that both the extension of theEuropean Union and the rate of Spanish economic growth have led to a resituatingof the country on economic scales. Even though this has directlyresulted in a loss of resources derived from the cohesion policy, it is also truethat it has opened the possibility of obtaining certain other advantages, oflesser quantitative weight, but important from a qualitative and strategicpoint of view, which could have very favourable repercussions in the mid andlong term.
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