Minister Ubarretxena to meet with the Secretary of State for Territorial Policy next week to continue discussions on the pending transfer of competencies

• Next Wednesday, 2 October, sees a meeting between Maria Ubarretxena, spokesperson for the Basque Government and Minister for Governance, Digital Administration and Self-governance, and Arcadi España, Secretary of State of the Spanish Government. Before the end of October, the first Bilateral Cooperation Commission will also be held.

The press conference following today’s Governing Council meeting focused on the agreements adopted in the meeting held between the President of the Basque Government or Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, and the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, last Friday at Moncloa.

According to the spokesperson, Maria Ubarretxena, the meeting saw both governments agree to hold the Bilateral Cooperation Commission meeting in late October, to be presided by the Lehendakari himself and the Spanish President, and which will serve as the supervisory body for the transfer of competencies and for discussion of bilateral issues affecting both parties.

With the aim of continuing to advance in bilateral relations and on the transfer of competencies, on Wednesday 2 October, Minister Maria Ubarretxena will meet with Arcadi España, Spanish Secretary of State for Territorial Policy, and before the end of October the first meeting of the Bilateral Cooperation Commission will be held.

Minister Ubarretxena also revealed that next week’s working meeting will see discussion of the timeline for the transfer of competencies put forward by the Lehendakari, as well as the agenda of subjects to be discussed at the Bilateral Commission.

Advanced proposals

The Spanish government has received an initial proposal for the transfer of 6 competencies including coastal planning and management, initial authorisations for work permits for non-nationals, coastguard and meteorology.

The Basque Government is already working internally on the other competencies, including Social Security, due to its complexity, to be brought to the table as a part of a second package of competencies, once the transfer of those competencies for which negotiations are at an advanced stage has been closed. With regard to the management of the economic regime of Social Security, the Minister revealed that the aim is to present the first proposal before the end of the year. Ubarretxena explained that the Basque Government's initial figure with respect to this transfer, is 12 billion euros, which is the State’s allocation to cover pensions in the Basque Country in one year. In any case, she added that other questions must also be addressed and that this was an initial figure and that there are other factors at play.

Finally, the Minister reiterated her commitment to continue to progress on the transfers, the complexity of some competencies notwithstanding, to complete all transfers before the end of 2025, as has been agreed.