andaluciaaaaaANDALUCIA lags behind the rest of the country financially due to its reliance on European funds, a study has found.


A Quality of Life survey found the per capita GDP was €4,700 below the average rate in Spain.

The southern region’s struggle is believed to be linked to problems in Europe after the crisis in 2009.


According to Eurostat, in 1995 the per capita Andalucian GDP was 68% of the European average, and by 2008 had grown to 80%.


However, the crisis saw this growth plummet as the poorer regions lost investment, reducing by €7 billion in 2007. It was a bigger loss than that seen in Madrid, Catalunya, the Basque Country and Valencia put together.

Gaspar Llanes, Secretary General of the Economy, suggested the region had relied too much on “convergence” with Europe.
He said: “Everything that was gained from convergence was lost in the crisis.

“If Europe is going well, Spain is better, when Europe goes bad, Spain is worse.”

The study suggests in terms of time Andalucia lost nine years in GDP, 16 in investment, 11 in employment and 9 in business.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Most of the funds from the EU have been spirited away in to corrupt politicians’ pockets. What money remains is then often wasted because the people allocating the money and project managing the work are unskilled and have had no proper education. Projects have no proper planning or vigilance, and are often left to rot without any proper maintenance, only to be repaired again when the next round of EU funding comes along in 10 years time (costing even more money). Most mayors, for example, were working in the local community in family businesses, and any final work is given to family members etc. Andalucia could have been transformed with the money wasted to corruption. Very depressing indeed, yet it will never cease as it has become a way of life in Spain.

  2. All these white villages are on almost impossible mountain tops. They know. The better you do, the more they want to take it from you. Do not forget, though, that once, Cordoba was the largest city by far in the whole of Europe. Forget London, Berlin or Paris. It was Cordoba. Historical fact. It makes people jealous. It makes people chase you up the mountain. Go to a souvenir shop and try to find something in the green and white colors of Andalucia. Even combined with the red and yellow national colors. They do not have it. From the catholic kings to Franco, everybody wanted to put Andalucia down. They adapted to that. You want to fund a bridge or a tunnel with European money, have it your way. Just leave my village in peace. And have it your way.

    Andalucia is magic. But better not publish that.

  3. All these white villages are on almost impossible mountain tops. They know. The better you do, the more they want to take it from you. Do not forget, though, that once, Cordoba was the largest city by far in the whole of Europe. Forget London, Berlin or Paris. It was Cordoba. Historical fact. It makes people jealous. It makes people chase you up the mountain. Go to a souvenir shop and try to find something in the green and white colors of Andalucia. Even combined with the red and yellow national colors. They do not have it. From the catholic kings to Franco, everybody wanted to put Andalucia down. They adapted to that. You want to fund a bridge or a tunnel with European money, have it your way. Just leave my village in peace. And have it your way.

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