Catalan government lists priority works in Catalonia to correct Spain's 'historic investment deficit' 

The Catalan government on Monday launched the Strategic Investment Committee, which will draw up a list of priority projects to be carried out by the Spanish government in Catalonia.   

Natàlia Mas, the Catalan economy minister, called on the Spanish government to correct the "historic investment deficit" in Catalonia.  

"The objective is that the Spanish government's investment in Catalonia is proportional to the size of the Catalan economy in Spain's GDP," she said.  

Laura Vilagrà, the Catalan presidency minister, said the government's priority is to negotiate with the Socialists to secure more investment in infrastructure to "improve the lives of citizens."  

"It is clear that Catalonia needs to improve mobility, hence the transfer of the Rodalies commuter rail network, but we also need to improve road mobility with other investments that the Spanish government must make in Catalonia," she added. 

Among the projects in focus are improvements to the N-II, the road from Madrid to France that passes through Barcelona; two interchanges between the FGC and Renfe railway lines in Sant Cugat; and improvements to the N-260, AP-7 and AP-2 roads.  

In November, the Socialists and ERC reached a historic agreement to transfer control of the Rodalies commuter rail network from Spain to Catalonia and to increase investment in Catalonia. In return, ERC supported Pedro Sánchez's bid for re-election as prime minister.