As part of the Jean Monnet Chair in EU Governance seminar series, BACES hosted a session by Mª Teresa Medina (Government of Catalonia) on the implementation of the European Union's Next Generation EU recovery instrument. The seminar explored the opportunities and challenges associated with the deployment of one of the most ambitious financial packages in the history of European integration, with particular attention to the governance arrangements required to ensure the effective management of European funds. Drawing on her experience within the Catalan administration, Medina provided a practitioner’s perspective on how European priorities are translated into policies and projects at the regional level.

In addition to discussing the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the seminar also examined the role of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)—known in Spain as FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional)—as a longstanding pillar of EU cohesion policy. The discussion addressed key issues related to coordination across levels of government, administrative capacity, and the effective absorption of European funds. Participants gained valuable insights into both the transformative potential of EU financial instruments and the institutional challenges involved in ensuring that European resources generate tangible economic and social benefits.