Airef underlines the "risk" that Catalonia will not comply with the spending rule in 2027

BarcelonaThe Airef, the independent body that monitors public finances, has pointed out the "risk" that Catalonia may not comply with spending rules in 2027, and has opened the door to deviations until 2029. The fiscal authority has opined that, with the economic and financial plan (PEF) presented this year by the Generalitat, "the risk of non-compliance appreciated" for this 2026 is "moderated, compared to other reports", but that it "remains" for next year.

For Spain as a whole, the Airef has requested that administrations promote an adjustment of 10,000 million euros, to balance the books this year, after the spending rule for 2024 and 2025 has been breached.

For this year and next, Catalonia's plan foresees a deficit of 0.1%. In contrast, the Airef estimates that it will reach a deficit of 0.2% this year and will reach equilibrium next year. Regarding debt, it is confident that it will reach 26.1% by 2027.

Catalonia closed last year with a deficit of 0.5% of GDP, an improvement compared to 2015, when red numbers reached 2.8%, but above the 0.1% set by the government. Debt exceeded 28%, almost two points below 2013 levels. Airef recalled that 85% of the funding Catalonia receives comes through state financing mechanisms.