EAFRD CO-FINANCING ANDALUCIA 2023-27

The project consists in co-financing investment schemes supported by European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in Andalusia within the Spanish Partnership Agreement 2023-2027.

The aim is to accelerate the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan, boost long-term competitiveness and employment, while ensuring the sustainability of the local agricultural sector and rural economy.

By supporting the region of Andalusia's co-financing obligations for investments under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the Project contributes to three of the EIB's primary policy objectives and to the horizontal objectives of Economic and Social Cohesion (100%) as well as Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability (CAES, 41%).

The Project supports rural development through a broad range of investments, including in basic rural infrastructure, disaster recovery and prevention measures and natural-resource protection and sustainable use. Among the main impacts of the project are the use of more energy-efficient machinery and equipment used in agriculture, stronger resilience and better protection of forest eco-systems, as well as knowledge spillovers from the transmission of best practice in agriculture.

Finally, EIB's financing provides financial benefits, longer tenor, and flexible loan conditions. It also helps Andalusia diversify its financing sources and provides funding stability.

Andalusia, as a Spanish region, is subject to national legislation that transposed Directive 2014/52/EU amending the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU into the national environmental legislation. The EIB's appraisal will focus on the promoter's environmental management capacity in applying the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC and Directive 2014/52/EU amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, as relevant. The CAP Strategic Plan co-financed by the EAFRD is subject to an SEA. Some schemes in the Operational Programmes shall fall under Annex I or Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive. All schemes must be implemented in compliance with the EU environmental legislation. The applicability of Directive 2014/52/EU amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and the Birds Directive 2009/147/EC will be reviewed at appraisal and during the allocation phase

The EIB will require the promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project are tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation, Directive 2014/24/EU and 2014/25/EU, where applicable, as well as Directive 92/13/EEC or Directive 89/665/EEC, as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with the publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.