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Barcelona housing

In Spain 20th July 2025

Mortgages on homes in Spain shoot up 54.4% in May, marking 11 consecutive months of increases, total amount rises 12.7%

CdM | Another surprise in the mortgage market. The National Statistics Institute (INE) published its mortgage statistics for May on Friday, showing that mortgages on homes rose by 54.4% compared to the same month in 2024, with a total of 42,274 loans signed. The increase in May is much higher than that recorded in April (up 14.4%), and with it, the signing of mortgages on homes has now risen for…

fcc edificio

Companies, In Spain, Relevant News Item 18th July 2025

FCC-Ferrovial consortium wins first section of Burgos-Vitoria high-speed rail line for €323 million

Alphavalue/ Divacons | The two construction companies, through a consortium formed in equal parts by both groups, will build the first section of high-speed rail between Burgos and Vitoria. The award of this section of the Basque AVE, valued at €323 million, comes after the disqualification of other competitors such as ACS, Acciona, Sacyr, OHLA and Grupo San José. The starting price for the tender proposed by Adif, the public…

AirefCristinaHerrero

In Spain 17th July 2025

AIReF urges Government to initiate procedures to have, after two years, a General State Budget

“Not even the ministerial order to start preparing the Budgets has been given,” warned Cristina Herrero, president of the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF), highlighting the lack of reliable deficit and debt forecasts for next year, as well as non-financial expenditure. “None of the necessary milestones for the Budgets that should already be underway have been met at this time,” Herrero warned, with the added uncertainty of defense spending…

Europarlament

In Spain 16th July 2025

European Parliament Accuses Sánchez of ‘Preventing’ European Electoral Law from Taking Effect Due to ‘His Investiture Pact with the PNV’

The new European electoral law requires countries with more than 35 MEPs, like Spain, to establish a minimum threshold of 2% to 5% of votes to be allocated seats in European elections. Spain is the only EU Member State that has not incorporated this European electoral reform into its legislation, despite Pedro Sánchez’s debut as Spanish President and member of the European Council in June 2018, where he approved this…

Spain's Social Security

In Spain 15th July 2025

Pedro Sánchez Breaks Up Social Security by Handing Over Unemployment Benefit Payments to 44,700 Basques to PNV

Today, President Pedro Sánchez will break with the principle maintained by all Spanish governments to protect Social Security from nationalist demands for its fragmentation. In the meeting starting at 5:30 PM in La Moncloa, delegations led by Sánchez and the Basque Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, will address the transfer of unemployment benefit and unemployment subsidy payments. This executive capacity will mean that the 29,335 Basques receiving unemployment benefits, plus the 14,472…

The short-lived Republic of Catalonia

In Spain 14th July 2025

Government Negotiates “Unique Funding” with Catalonia Today

The Bilateral Government-Generalitat Commission is meeting today in Barcelona. This meeting has socialists in many regions holding their breath, as it will address the so-called “unique funding” for Catalonia. An agreement is expected to advance Catalonia’s tax management of personal income tax (IRPF). The pact signed last year between the PSOE and ERC involves giving the Catalan government the management, collection, settlement, and inspection of taxes obtained in Catalonia, a…

abertis–acs autopistas

In Spain 11th July 2025

ACS, Ferrovial and Acciona face potential additional costs of up to €500 million due to end of tolls on motorways

Norbolsa | The government will return 1,000 kilometres of toll motorways to public management in December 2025, after 19 years under private concession. Construction companies such as ACS, Ferrovial and Acciona face potential additional costs of up to €500 million to comply with the standards required by the Ministry. In principle, the government should deliver the reports to the concession companies with the action plan this month, and the companies…

bbva sabadell

In Spain 10th July 2025

EC finalising infringement proceedings against Spain for additional conditions imposed by government on BBVA’s Sabadell takeover bid

Link Securities | The European Commission (EC) is finalising the opening of infringement proceedings against Spain for the additional conditions imposed by the government on BBVA’s takeover bid for Banco Sabadell (SAB), as it considers that the government has overstepped its powers and that its actions are contrary to the free movement of capital. and will therefore take measures before the summer break that could eventually escalate to a complaint…

Espana Bandera Mapa

In Spain 9th July 2025

Brussels Warns of “High Risk of Corruption” in Public Contracts in Spain

“Public procurement tenders, political party financing, and public infrastructure projects in Spain are key sectors with a high risk of corruption in Spain.” This is the verdict of the 2025 Rule of Law Report, published yesterday by the European Commission, which comes amidst a government crisis, precisely, due to corruption. The warning is not new, but its seriousness appears to be escalating. 40% of Spanish companies believe that corruption has…

sanchez ursula

In Spain 8th July 2025

Brussels Freezes Over €1.1 Billion from Spain’s Fifth Next Gen Payment Due to Unmet Tax Reform

Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission has cut €1.1 billion from the fifth payment of Next Generation EU funds to Spain. This payment, which totals €23 billion (€8 billion in grants and the rest in loans), has been reduced because Spain lacks the votes in Congress to pass measures like the diesel tax increase—intended to equalize it with gasoline prices—one of the key reforms demanded by Brussels. This comes despite…