Governing Council pledges €140 million boost for CIC and BERC science programmes for 2026-2029
The Governing Council has today pledged €140 million to support the Cooperative Research Centres (CIC) and Basic Research and Excellence Centres (BERC) programmes for the 2026-2029 period, marking an increase of €20 million compared to the previous four-year term. The Council also sanctioned a dedicated budget of €4 million for the procurement of cutting-edge scientific equipment for the 2026 financial year.
Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, said: "These programmes aim to cement a robust, sustainable and internationally competitive scientific system based on excellence and societal well-being.”
The programme targeting CICs holds a total budget of €80 million for the period 2026-2029 and is designed to consolidate the stability and leadership of these centres in pioneering research. It will also strengthen their international profile and maximise their impact on the Basque scientific and technological ecosystem. Meanwhile, the BERC programme has been allocated a budget of €60 million for the same four-year period. This funding aims to underwrite the non-economic activity of these centres to safeguard their sustainability, ensure the sustained growth of their scientific output and promote their internationalisation. In addition, the programme for the acquisition of scientific equipment (INKER) was also approved, with a budget of €4 million for the 2026 financial year.
Boosting Basque language presence in the media
The Governing Council has also approved the renewal of the collaboration agreement with Euskal Editorea SL for the publication of the BERRIA communication project, spanning both print and digital formats. The government will allocate €13.8 million to the agreement, which will run for four years.
Basque Government Spokesperson, Maria Ubarretxena, said: "This is a strategic project for the normalisation of the Basque language. It champions initiatives to boost the presence of Basque in the media and strengthens media produced in the language. It also drives initiatives of global interest in Basque, working together with organisations and associations operating in the field of Basque culture.”
€17.6 million funding package for Bar Associations and €1 million for Associations of Court Representatives
In 2026, Free Legal Aid in the Basque Country will benefit from a budget of 17.6 million for Bar Associations and a further one million for Associations of Court Representatives. The measure, sanctioned by the Governing Council, increases the compensation received by legal professionals providing free legal aid by 5.4%. This move updates the financial remuneration for duty lawyers and on-call barristers.
Free legal aid is a strategic public right designed to guarantee access to justice for the most vulnerable and ensure no one is left unprotected, delivering a justice system that is truly accessible to all.
€60,000 pledged to Gaztedi association and Family Meeting Points agreements renewed in Barakaldo and Portugalete
The Department of Justice and Human Rights has allocated €60,000 to the Gaztedi association to implement judicial measures involving minors and young people until 2029.
This new partnership with the social intervention organisation will drive the development of programmes to benefit the community and provide indirect reparation, working hand in hand with the Department of Justice and Human Rights.
Furthermore, the Basque Government has renewed the agreements for the management of the Family Meeting Points in Barakaldo and Portugalete. The Family Meeting Points, which receive court referrals and fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice and Human Rights, are managed in partnership with local councils to offer a neutral, safe and professional environment to support families in crisis or undergoing socio-educational monitoring.
The Basque Country boasts ten centres, and in 2025, the government will invest €2.7 million in their operation, a figure that will increase to more than €3.1 million in 2026.
New educational partnership launched with the European University
The Governing Council has sanctioned an educational cooperation agreement between the Department of Security and the European University of Madrid, Valencia and the Canary Islands enabling undergraduate and master's degree students to complete external academic internships with the Ertzaintza.
"These internships target undergraduate and master's degree students with the aim of boosting their practical training by adapting it to real world workplace environments," explained Ubarretxena. This agreement will promote direct contact with workplace realities and current issues, which will be reflected in better professional qualifications for these students.
Individualised school transport allowances and grants for stays abroad
Additionally, at its meeting today, the Governing Council approved the funding call for individualised school transport allowances. This funding targets students who are entitled to school transport but who cannot adapt to the transport routes organised by the Department of Education, or for cases where it is considered appropriate for students to use public transport organised by other entities.
The government has earmarked €4 million for this initiative. The department assures that all applications submitted that meet the requirements will receive the corresponding assistance, meaning the amount allocated to the call may be increased if necessary.
In addition, the Department of Education pledges more than €1 million to scholarships for stays abroad to study English, French and German for secondary school students.
