Research, technological development, and innovation accounted for a large part of the expenditure executed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in Andalusia in 2021, with a total of more than 293 million euros. Together with these data, it has been achieved that within the framework of the ERDF Operational Programme, the implementation of these funds has been very prominent in the promotion of research and innovation, in improving the competitiveness of SMEs, in initiatives to promote a low-carbon economy in all sectors and in promoting sustainable transport.
In addition, the Andalusia ERDF Operational Programme registered a total of 5,107 operations aimed at strengthening economic, social, and territorial cohesion during the 2021 financial year, a figure that represents an increase of 24% over last year, with the expenditure of more than 1,660 million euros executed up to 2021.
Finally, the additional REACT-EU funds have also been incorporated in 2021, aimed at helping to repair the crisis caused by COVID-19 and its social consequences, as well as preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy, with a total of 1,262 million euros. Within this axis, he highlighted the implementation of urgent measures to maintain the activity of the retail, hotel and catering, and travel agency sectors with subsidies of more than 130 million euros.
