The counselor of the Presidency, Luis Miguel González Gago, has announced an important reinforcement of the aid aimed at favoring the return of citizens to Castilla y León. In this context, the initial allocation of the "Pasaporte de Vuelta" program will grow by nearly 60 percent compared to previous years, reaching 820,000 euros for the next fiscal year.
During his speech before the Economy and Finance Commission of the Junta de Castilla y León, in which he detailed the accounts of his department for 2027, the head of the Presidency specified that this program, aimed at facilitating the return of Castilians and Leonese residing abroad or in other autonomous communities, could be expanded by up to an additional 100 percent if demand requires it and there is budgetary margin.
González Gago has framed these initiatives within the IV Strategic Plan for Castilian and Leonese Citizenship Abroad 2025-2028, which will have a budget of 2.28 million euros in 2027, representing an increase of 11.2 percent compared to 2024.
Within this set of measures, the "Volver a Castilla y León" program has seen its allocation increased by 25 percent, reaching 500,000 euros, with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship projects and the labor hiring of those who decide to return to the Community.
The return strategy also includes an allocation of 80,000 euros for a program of eight postgraduate scholarships at public universities in Castilla y León, as well as 135,000 euros for the temporary return programs Encuentro, Orígenes, and Añoranza —45,000 euros for each— and 30,000 euros allocated to support the Association of Returned Emigrants of Castilla y León (AERCYL).
To assist the group of more than 205,000 Castilians and Leonese residing abroad and in other autonomous communities, the Ministry has planned 186,000 euros in aid for people in situations of special need, 402,000 euros for the maintenance and improvement of the headquarters of the centers of Castilla y León abroad, 30,000 euros for youth initiatives, 18,000 euros for the "Castilla y León en el Exterior" awards, and 10,000 euros for research studies on emigration.
In the field of external action, with a budget exceeding three million euros —an 8 percent increase compared to 2024— the actions linked to relations with the European Union and Portugal amount to nearly 790,000 euros.
Among the items included are 175,000 euros for the cross-border projects Cencyl Proximity and Norcyl 2027 (83,000 and 92,000 euros, respectively), 30,000 euros for the organization of workshops, and 250,000 euros directed to the Social Innovation Centers in regions bordering Portugal.
At the European level, 50,000 euros stand out for the Permanent Delegation in Brussels, 62,000 euros for internship scholarships, 60,000 euros for collaboration with universities, and 30,000 euros for the five existing Europe Direct centers in the Community.
Furthermore, within the framework of the meeting of the XVII Hispano-Lusitan Commission prior to the Iberian Summit in Tordesillas (Valladolid), González Gago has demanded from the Government of Spain a "firm" stance in the negotiation to obtain greater funding for cross-border cooperation programs, with special attention to the Interreg POCTEP program.
Finally, regarding internal institutional management, the Ministry contemplates the renewal and signing of new collaboration protocols with the nine bordering autonomous communities, the strengthening of the competencies of the Foundation Protectorate, and the analysis to unify the management procedures related to associations.