The Minister of the Environment, Cristina Narbona, and the Minister of the Environment of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Fuensanta Coves, have signed a collaboration agreement between both administrations for the development of actions declared to be of general interest to the Nation in the field of the intra-community river basins of Andalusia. The Agreement was authorized by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on February 3.

The maximum contribution of the Ministry of the Environment, for the period 2006-2013, amounts to 319,400,000 euros. This Agreement is another example of the policy of coordination with the Autonomous Communities that the Ministry of the Environment is carrying out, as part of its commitment to the criteria applied in the Water Framework Directive.

The actions necessary for the execution of the works declared to be of general interest, referred to in annexes I and II of the Agreement, will be financed by the Ministry of the Environment, charged to the allocations of the chapters of real investments and capital transfers that are specifically set out for this purpose in the respective annual laws of the General State Budget.

Most of the works to be undertaken are aimed at purifying water on the coast. This means a strong push to correct discharges and improve the state of the waters, which ultimately means safeguarding Andalusia’s tourism development.