Measures adopted by the Catalan Government to face the COVID-19 pandemic - Updated: 12/6/2020 - Gencat
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Measures adopted by the Catalan Government to face the COVID-19 pandemic Updated: 12/6/2020
Content
00. Introduction............................................................................................................... 3
01. Department of Economy and Finance ...................................................................... 4
02. Department of Presidency ........................................................................................ 9
03. Department of Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency ............... 14
04. Department of Home Affairs ................................................................................... 20
05. Department of Education ........................................................................................ 26
06. Department of Health ............................................................................................. 28
07. Department of Territory and Sustainability ............................................................. 31
08. Department of Culture ............................................................................................ 32
09. Department of Justice............................................................................................. 34
10. Department of Labour, Social Affairs and Family ................................................... 40
11. Department of Enterprise (Business) and Knowledge ............................................ 51
12. Department of Digital Policy and Public Administration .......................................... 58
13. Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food ..................................... 63
Independent Regulatory Authority
14. Independent Regulatory Authority: the Catalan Audio-Visual Council .................... 68
2
00. Introduction
Since the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic, the Government of Catalonia has
adopted a series of measures trying to
reduce the effect of the crisis on health,
economy and social aspects. Throughout
the government’s departments, there has
been an effort to allow flexibility and cut red
tape for many administrative procedures.
Specific measures can be found online at the
following address: General information for
mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
The website regularly updates all the
information concerning the pandemic in
Catalonia.
Twice a day, the president, vice-president,
and Minister for Health, Home Affairs and
Presidency hold meetings to evaluate the
situation and propose measures to mitigate
the effects of COVID-19.
The measures included in this document are
classified according to the different
departments of the Government of Catalonia
and the moment of the crisis at which they
have been adopted: emergency phase
(March – April 2020) and recovery phase
(April – June 2020) .
3
01. Department of Economy and
Finance
Measures adopted in the Financial assistance for self-
emergency phase employed workers
€7.5m has been allocated to self-
Tax measures employed workers economically
A moratorium on the deadlines for the affected by COVID-19. The aid can be
payment and self-settlement of some up to €2,000 for self-employed
taxes (namely the Government of workers who prove a drastic and
Catalonia’s own taxes as well as involuntary reduction in their turnover.
Spain’s taxes “ceded” to regional They need to prove that they are
governments) until the end of the registered in activities that health
state of alarm. authorities have decreed the closure
The suspension and interruption of of and do not have other sources of
income. It plans to benefit about 4,500
deadlines for management,
inspection and collection procedures. self-employed workers. More
information.
A moratorium on payment until
October 2020 of the tax on stays in
tourism establishments, which Ensure payment of public
companies were supposed to pay in procurement
April 2020.
To ensure that companies working for
The elimination of taxes related to the Government of Catalonia maintain
individual waste management and a their employment even though they
regulation for reducing the tax on cannot provide services effectively due
industrial and construction waste by to COVID-19. The Catalan Government
50% will be put in place. will pay the wages and expenses of
The reduction of the water rate for insurance policies to workers. This
domestic users and economic includes cleaning contracts, transport to
activities (from 1 April 2020 until 31 school and school meals, special
May 2020) by 50%. Vulnerable education centres, surveillance, and
families, or those affected by COVID- work and service contracts awarded by
19, will be able to apply for social the Government of Catalonia and its
benefits and pay nothing for this public sector.
concept. More information.
4
Flexibilisation of administrative Notify suspension and reduction
procedures of working hours online
Procurement boards may meet without Creation of a dossier for temporary
face-to-face attendance, while employment regulation by COVID-19,
respecting the transparency required by which justifies the closures protected by
the Law on Public Sector Contracts. legal rules as well as the closures that
have been determined by other
administrations, and also those that
Liquidity line for SMEs and self-
have to be closed due to lack of supplies
employed (bank guarantees; or due to isolation by the health
€750m) authorities. Both suspension and
The ICF (Catalan Institute of Financing), reduction of working hours can easily be
which is the public financial institution done online.
owned by the Government of Catalonia,
and Avalis of Catalonia guarantee 80%
of the loans given by financial
institutions to Catalan SMEs and self- Measures adopted in
employed workers who have liquidity the recovery phase
problems because of COVID-19.
Companies who apply for loans under
Business activity flexibility in the
this scheme cannot lay off workers.
waste management field
More information.
A 50% reduction of the industrial waste
tax and the construction waste tax
Culture liquidity loans (10 MEUR) during the months of April 2020 and May
Loans to help cultural companies 2020. The fees associated with the
affected by COVID-19 deal with liquidity telematics processing of waste
constraints. More information. documents and in the register of people
producing waste in Catalonia have been
100% discounted. Waste bonds for non-
Moratorium of rents
hazardous waste managers have been
A moratorium on the rents of public abolished, a measure that could mean
housing and commercial spaces the release of about €40m. More
administered by the Catalan Habitat information.
Agency starting in April 2020. Around
20,000 families will benefit.
Economic benefit for foster
children
Implementation of an emergency
5
financial benefit for the foster care of Search for COVID-19 measures
children involuntarily separated from and aid
their family due to medical treatments or
The search for measures and aid for
isolation measures that affect their
COVID-19 is a tool aimed at companies
parents. When emergency
and self-employed people. The tool
circumstances so require, children
generates a Q&A session. The result of
between the ages of 6 and 12 can
the questionnaire is a report of the
receive benefit. The amount of the
measures, grants or subsidies that may
benefit is €326 for children from 0 to 9
correspond to each one. Information on
years and €362 for children from 10 to
the requirements and the necessary
12 years, although these amounts can
documents are provided together with
be increased due to disabilities of the
direct access to the application process
child, the number of foster children or
when it becomes available. More
other circumstances that require special
information.
dedication. More information.
Grants for the environmental third
Additional deferrals in the
sector
payment of the water fee
€600,000 has been allocated as direct
The self-assessments of the water tax
aid to associations and foundations of
are carried out by the supply entities,
the environmental third sector affected
which must pass them on to the bills of
by COVID-19, to ensure the continuity of
their subscribers. These entities, both
its activity aimed at protecting and
public and private, are implementing
improving the environment in Catalonia.
measures to boost the liquidity of the
self-employed and SMEs, postponing
either billing or payments until the state Subsidies for the tourism sector
of alarm finishes. For this reason, an €3.5m has been allocated as subsidies
interest-free deferral of the part of the for professionals and micro-enterprises
self-assessments of suppliers that in the tourism sector affected by the
corresponds to invoices for self- health crisis and who are in any of the
employed workers and SMEs deferred following categories:
by the entities themselves, for a
Tourist accommodation
maximum period of six months is
establishments: hotels, apartments,
provided. Hotel establishments and
campsites and rural tourism
campsites will pay the water tax for the
establishments.
water they consume until 31 December
2020, provided that the consumption is Tourist mediation companies.
greater than six cubic meters per month. People or companies that contribute
More information. to the dynamism of tourism and
6
promote stays all over Catalonia.
Qualified tour guides.
More information.
Credit line for the sports sector
€10m has been allocated as loans to
help sports entities affected by COVID-
19 deal with liquidity constraints.
Urgent measures: shock plan for
Emergency benefit for basic
people, companies and territory
expenses
59 MEUR will be allocated to a shock
€20m has been allocated as emergency
plan. The set of measures focuses on
aid of €200 per household (a one-off
working people who have been
payment). The money must be used to
financially affected by the health crisis
buy food, pharmacy, and other basic and groups at risk, self-employed and
supplies. The aim is to help the
small businesses to resume activity and
economic sustainability of families in a
maintain productive capacity and jobs,
situation of economic vulnerability as a cooperatives and companies in the
result of COVID-19. This emergency aid
social economy and local
is for self-employed and employed
administrations to strategically plan
people with family obligations who have
economic reactivation based on the
suffered a reduction of more than 30%
analysis of the needs of the territory.
of their income due to COVID-19. More
The final aim is to palliate the social and
information.
work-related consequences of the
sanitary crisis in Catalonia. There is also
€70m aid for companies affected a fund for school parents associations
by COVID-19 (AMPA) and other businesses that
provides dining services to schools,
The Catalan Institute of Finances (ICF)
whose activity has been stopped due to
and the European Commission, with the
the COVID-19. In total, it expects to
support of the Ministry of Vice
directly benefit 1,500 companies, as
Presidency and Economy, have
well as 4,300 people working directly
launched ‘ICF Eurocrèdit COVID-19’, a
and thousands more indirectly. More
new financing line for SMEs affected by
information.
COVID-19. With an initial endowment of
€70m, it will be fully supported by the
EU.
7
3.9 MEUR to promote projects in The Catalan Tax Office (ATC) will
the social and cooperative help citizens file their personal
economy income tax returns during
The Catalan Government has agreed to confinement
allocate 3.9 MEUR to finance unique The Tax Agency will contact, through a
projects for socio-economic reactivation free telephone, with people who need to
due to the COVID-19 crisis. This line is receive personalized assistance.
aimed at cooperative and social
economy companies that generate Webinars to Catalan SMEs about
employment through the creation of new European funds
business projects, business lines,
The Catalan Government has created a
companies, markets and at the same
channel where users can learn about
time take advantage of strategic
European funds regarding the COVID-
opportunities in the sector of activity or
19 pandemic. More information.
territory.
7.3 MEUR to financial aid for the
A viewer to consult the
logistics and transport sector
emergency contracts awarded by
between 2020 and 2021
the Government of Catalonia
during the COVID-19 The Government of Catalonia provides
funding for the promotion of
The General Directorate of Public
decarbonisation of fleets, aid for
Procurement has designed an
investment in computer technology,
interactive tool that allows checking data
training and professional associations,
of public contracts in execution awarded
the establishment of a working group on
by the Government of Catalonia and its
sectoral tax plans and toll
Public Sector, through the emergency
compensation.
procedure, on the occasion of the health
crisis generated by the COVID-19. This
viewer allows obtaining updated Creation of a Commission for the
information on the object, the elaboration of the Plan for
contracting authority, the amount and economic recovery and social
the winner of each of these contracts protection (CORECO)
formalized since 12 March 2020.
The Commission will be advised by a
technical committee. Further, it sets six
work groups (local administration, social
protection, research, digital
development, and green agenda).
8
02. Department of Presidency
Measures adopted in economic recovery and social
protection, will build on the ‘Decalogue
the recovery phase
for the socioeconomic recovery for the
municipalities of Catalonia’ (recently
Financial support to local presented by municipal entities and
administrations available here). The main objective of
this table is to create a space for
The Secretariat of Local
constant engagement and
Administrations and Relations with
coordination between all public
Aran has advanced 61 MEUR (50% of
administrations. More information.
the Catalan Local Cooperation Fund)
to strengthen budget liquidity of local
administrations in Catalonia. The Investment policies for local
allocation of these funds has been as authorities
follows: 18 MEUR to County Councils,
In the context of COVID-19, the
43 MEUR to Town Halls and €181.000
Catalonia’s government will continue
to Decentralized Municipal Entities.
executing investment policies for local
The secretariat has also launched a
administrations through the different
specific funding stream to cover the
programmes that can be planned and
costs related to COVID-19. The main
mainly through the Single Works and
goal of these actions is to strengthen
Services Plan (PUSOC), which is key
local administrations structures and
for the economic recovery and
help them establish social and
territorial revitalization. This plan,
emergency support measures.
which was stalled because of the state
of emergency, will soon enter the
Creation of a dialogue table with resolution phase. A 5-year multiannual
local and provincial authorities funding agreement with an amount of
250 MEUR has been reached. It is
In order to drive the social and
important to highlight a specific funding
economic recovery from COVID-19
stream with 90 MEUR for Town Halls,
and support economic sectors in
Decentralized Municipal Entities and
difficulties, the Government of
Local Councils with less than 5,000
Catalonia has created a ‘bilateral table
inhabitants. Local authorities have
of dialogue’ together with
submitted 2,575 applications.
representatives from Catalan
municipalities and provinces. This
dialogue table, which is part of the
recently created Commission for the
9
Involvement of regional Support Olympic athletes
authorities in de-confinement Exceptional measures to support the
measures postponement of the 2020 Tokyo
One of the main priorities of the Olympic Games for the 530
Government of Catalonia has been to competitors included in the high-
guarantee the participation of Local performance programme, including
Authorities in the decision-making extra 9 MEUR to guarantee its
process related to de-confinement continuity during 2021.
measures, adapting them to the
different sectorial and territorial
realities.
SECRETARIAT OF SPORTS
Measures adopted in the
emergency phase
Measures adopted in
Flexibilisation of deadlines the recovery phase
Immediate measures regarding grants
and their due justification: suspend Updated set of prescriptions
deadlines (with no effect whatsoever
concerning physical activity and
on contract suspensions or
practice by elite, professional,
terminations); provision of finance to
high-performance or federation
beneficiaries needing it; any other
measure to avoid damage for the sports
beneficiaries derived from any other Different measures if:
procedural aspect of grants. Adapt The sport disciplines or practices at
open calls for grants accordingly: to stake are considered of national
accelerate availability of resources interest by Spain's Higher Council
independently from budgetary for Sports, or
approval process; suspend deadlines
The sports are regulated by
for the submission of accompanying
federations not covered by point 1 or
documents for those sports entities
having received 80% or more of their It involves top professional leagues
operative grants; analyse and prepare (1st and 2nd division for Football,
new calls to support local councils and ACB league for basketball).
sports entities affected by COVID-19. Usage of sports facilities will continue
10to be practically impossible and departments and other institutions.
measures of prevention and distancing
will continue to apply. There will be
additional restrictions in sports
involving animals (e.g. horses, where Measures adopted in
previous appointments will be needed, the recovery phase
and no other human presence will be
allowed during the exercises) and high
speeds (skating, cycling, which require Increase in hours of help offered
a 10-metre distance instead of 2 at the helpline for victims
metres). There has been an increase in hours of
help offered by helpline professionals
for victims of gender-based violence.
CATALAN WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
There has also been an intensification
of the helpline’s promotion by
Measures adopted in the broadcasting information on it in
emergency phase different media across the region since
the 19 March 2020.
Campaign against gender
Intensification of phone and
violence
emails contacts
Launching of a campaign to facilitate
access to a helpline for women unable The Information and Attention
to call for help or write to services due Services for Women, which usually
to being confined with the perpetrator. attend people on a face-to-face basis,
on top of phone calls and emails, have
The permanent telephone service
been working hard to maintain all
for women in situations of gender-
services only through phone calls and
based violence has been
emails (and on-site in case of
strengthened and complemented
emergency).
with a WhatsApp chat with the aim
of ensuring no woman is neglected
during confinement. More Calls against sexist violence
information. have increased by 88% during
A new section has been introduced confinement
to the website, displaying the The number of phone calls regarding
services that are available for gender-based violence during the last
women experiencing gender-based two weeks of the confinement has
violence during lockdown, from all been the highest of the entire period.
the different government Between 16 March and 30 April, the
11number of services provided has to make sure that gender
reached the total of 2,173 calls, an mainstreaming is on the agenda,
increase of 88% compared to the regarding actions for the protection of
services provided between January public health, to secure children’s
and February the same year, and an schooling and towards caring for the
average of 47 daily calls compared to most vulnerable and at risk.
an average of 25 before the
confinement. The following figure
Informative materials with
outlines the 88% increase. Monday 20
April had 76 calls, the maximum of the recommendations, services and
period. new measures to help dealing
with gender-based violence
A series of informative documents with
recommendations, services and new
measures to help to deal with gender-
based violence during the crisis are
available for women in situation of
gender-based violence, people from
their immediate environment or
Activation of the Intervention professionals dealing with gender-
Service for Urgent Crisis based violence:
Regarding the Intervention Service for Recommendations for identifying a
Urgent Crisis, which is activated when situation of gender-based violence
there is a femicide, to give
Recommendations for women in
comprehensive care to those
situations of gender-based violence
surrounding the victim; it has been
activated successfully since the Recommendations for women who
lockdown period started (only once so suffer gender-based violence and
far). do not live with the aggressor
Recommendations for women who
Work group to study how suffer gender-based violence and
children are being affected by live with the aggressor
the COVID-19 crisis Guide to aid for social protection
The Observatory for the Rights of and economic recovery
Children has created this group, which
is included in the Plan for Children’s
Progressive and Controlled Transition
out of Isolation. The Catalan Women’s
Institute has presented proposals to try
12‘#AgafaElGuant’. Children and situations of gender-based violence
young people free from sexist have participated in an online training
violence on aid and resources within the
framework of COVID-19.
A campaign under the baseline
‘#AgafaElGuant’ has been launched to
increase the protection and safety of A pilot project is launched to
children, teenagers and young citizens support practices of local
from gender-based violence arising professionals that assist women
from the COVID-19 crisis. The aim is in situations of gender-based
that children and young people can
violence
identify the manifestations of violence
they may suffer, showing them The project is organized by the Catalan
resources and promoting a virtual Women’s Institute for the
support space and a collective sorority municipalities or counties and the care
that puts an end to their isolation. services for women (SIAD). The
objectives of the ‘Workshop to
Accompany, Assist and Recover
women in situations of gender-based
violence in SIAD’ are the following:
Incorporating strategic perspectives
as a tool to tackle gender-based
violence.
Presenting tools to incorporate
Professional training to improve
professional assertiveness in
care for women victims of tackling gender-based violence.
gender-based violence in the
Identifying personal limits in
context of the social crisis of
professional practice.
COVID-19
Reviewing roles and functions
A series of three trainings sessions on within the framework of the territorial
‘Aid and resources for women who area of reference, in tackling
have suffered gender-based violence’ gender-based violence.
have been launched, aimed at
Detecting symptoms and effects of
supporting the work of professionals in
Burnout Syndrome and Trauma
gender-based violence care units in
Syndrome as risk factors in
the context of the health, social and
professionals working to address
economic crisis.
gender-based violence.
In the first edition of the course, 150
care professionals for women in
1303. Department of Foreign Affairs,
Institutional Relations and
Transparency
Measures adopted in the strengthen cross-border cooperation
through its main programmes. The
emergency phase
General Assembly of the Euroregion
Pyrenees Mediterranean agreed to
Identify and share best practices modify its 2020 working plan and
Through its delegations abroad, the annual budget to identify lines of action
Government of Catalonia has to cope with COVID-19 consequences.
identified best practices abroad to The government actively collaborates
learn and apply those measures, which with several European and
are proving to be most effective. Mediterranean networks, such as the
Four Motors for Europe, CRPM-CIM
and Mediterranean Cooperation
Support of Catalans abroad Alliance, to exchange good practices
The Department has been and deliver common analysis of the
coordinating and helping Catalans measures to be taken at EU level.
abroad who are attempting to return
home by providing up to date
information on restrictions, information
on administrative obligations in Measures adopted in
different countries, among many other the recovery phase
initiatives. The Department has
provided aid to over 2,800 people
Cross-border and interregional
since COVID-19 started.
cooperation
The Working Community of the
Strengthening of the territorial Pyrenees, under the Presidency of the
cooperation instruments and Government of Catalonia has
networks launched a questionnaire to analyse
The Working Community of the the consequences of the pandemic.
Pyrenees, under the Presidency of the The results of this exercise identify an
Government of Catalonia, has created Action Plan for recovery that includes
a COVID-19 working group to major initiatives in the four axes of the
CTP Strategy: Climate change, Socio-
14economic territorial development, The Mediterranean Cooperation
Mobility, connectivity and accessibility Alliance, a platform which brings
and territorial Governance. The together more than 200 European and
exercise also identifies priorities Mediterranean territories, launched a
addressed to the new EU territorial and statement calling for specific
cross-border cooperation programmes and more funding for
programmes. territorial cooperation in the
The Euroregion Pyrenees Mediterranean, a region where the
Mediterranean has launched a crisis generated by COVID-19 will
COVID-19 aid Fund with a total make the balance between economic,
amount of €700,000 available and social and biodiversity development
open to projects and actions within the more necessary. Moreover, the CPMR
five sectoral domains of the EPM has launched an open letter signed by
agenda: innovation, environment, 20 European regions addressed to
higher education and research, European institutions and bodies to
tourism and culture. The aim of the adopt a new pact on migration and
Fund is to reduce the impact of the asylum and demanding more shared
sanitary crisis and to relaunch the responsibility on behalf of the
economy of the EPM territories as well territories.
as to foster a higher resilience capacity
and a stronger cooperation between Follow up of expatriated staff
the Euroregional actors to help them
and aid workers from Catalan
overcome the crisis. The Euroregional
cooperation organisations
aid Fund will last for 18 months and
candidates who want to benefit from The pandemic health situation in the
the COVID-19 aid Fund will have to country where the expatriated staff is
apply between 8 June and 31 October placed must be analysed. If
2020. More information. repatriation is recommended,
according to recommendations of
The Four Motors for Europe network
health authorities from this country,
has set up a Working Group on
staff must return and expenses
COVID-19 in order to exchange good
generated by the expatriated staff
practices and explore possibilities for
during the in-country period will be
collaboration in different areas. To this
eligible.
date, there has been a meeting with
political representatives from each
region to set the ground for this
collaboration and a meeting between
the Environment ministers to establish
common guidelines for future actions.
15Flexibility of ongoing Additional funds in order to
cooperation projects and respond to the COVID-19
programmes terms and pandemic
adjustment of activities A reserve fund of 1.3 MEUR has been
If an entity is obliged to cancel its created to subsidize international
activities due to the impossibility of humanitarian actions to face the
carrying them out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund will
health crisis, the entity should report it cover the areas of health, education,
formally to Catalan Agency for access to water or food security,
Cooperation Development (ACCD) among others, and will allow
and, if need be, request a prolongation responding to the pandemic in
of the activities’ implementation. countries with greater vulnerability.
Collaboration to readapt Support to the United Nations
cooperation Central Emergency Response
Collaboration with public Fund
administrations and organisations from The ACCD continues to support the
other countries we work with; and United Nations Central Emergency
reformulation of collaboration with Response Fund (CERF). The support
multilateral organisations to redirect started several years ago, and now
fund for measures against COVID-19. ACCD has made a contribution of
Meetings with cooperation, €290,000.
humanitarian and emergency aid
NGOs to detect potential partnerships
The Advisory Council for the
and actions to be carried out.
Nowadays, ACCD is working on the Sustainable Development of
definition of the 2020 call for funding, Catalonia (CADS) publish the
adapted to the current situation. report ‘One pandemic,
numerous lessons and 17 goals
that we must not put in
Training to face new challenges
lockdown’
on cooperation
On 14 April 2020, the council issued a
Organisation of 3-days training (28 - 30
statement on the management of the
April 2020) about Technology and
new reality after COVID-19 in terms of
Cooperation (Digital Organising),
sustainability. According to the council,
concerning the challenges of the
the way out of this crisis lies in
connection of social and technological
curtailing degradation of nature;
innovation.
fostering an economy that serves
16humanity while respecting the limits of Reflection on COVID-19 with
the planet; better funding for public experts and think tanks
health and social care systems,
IDEES, the Center for Contemporary
especially for older people; and
Studies’ magazine, is curating an
committed investment in research.
updated section of the most relevant
reports by leading think tanks and
research institutions worldwide. The
section features an analysis of the
most relevant ideas and proposals of
these reports and offers a link to them.
Together with the Ministry of the
Economy and the Advisory Council on
Sustainable Development, IDEES
Magazine has put together a series of
The CADS takes part in an Open
online debates to shed some light on
Letter ‘Responding to COVID-19:
the effects of the pandemics in six
Building social, economic and
different areas: the Economy, Global
environmental resilience with Health, Society, Climate Change,
the European Green Deal’ of the Democracy and Geopolitics.
EEAC Network
On 20 April 2020, the chair of the
Identification and visualisation
European network of advisory councils
of pools of data concerning the
on Climate Change, Environment and
pandemic
Sustainable Development (EEAC)
issued an open letter. With a call to The Secretary of Transparency and
understand the link between COVID- Open Government has identified
19 and the ecosystem degradation, to several potential open data datasets
increase resilience to future concerning the impact and evolution of
pandemics, and to use the EU Green the COVID-19 pandemic, to help the
Deal and some other EU strategic institutions, professionals and citizens
instruments (such as the MFF and understand how this is affecting and
Horizon Europe) to boost a social and how this will affect our lives. These
economic recovery based on datasets have been published in the
sustainability principles. Government’s Open Data Portal
(access our COVID-19 data) and it is
our goal to have all data visualised to
make it easier to understand by the
citizens. (See our open data COVID-19
evolution dashboard.)
17how our data related to COVID-19
hosted on the Open Data Portal is
being reused by citizens, data
scientists and other user profiles.
Access to the catalogue.
‘Jo Pregunto’: citizen
participation initiative with
COVID-19 Standards, data Health Minister Alba Vergés
quality and interoperability The Secretariat of Transparency and
improvements Open Government (Ministry of Foreign
The Secretary of Transparency and Action, Institutional Relations and
Open Government is working with Transparency) and the Secretariat of
Open Data Charter on the definition of Health Care and Participation (Ministry
international standards in relation to of Health) have teamed up to launch
COVID-19 open data, to apply these the first edition of ‘Jo Pregunto’ (I ask),
standards to our health system open an initiative aimed at deepening
data and make them comparable with governmental accountability and
the different open data collected and transparency and allowing citizens to
published by each country. We are directly address doubts and questions
working to make our data accessible in to Government Representatives. Out
English as well as having it published of the 341 questions registered, Health
and available in the European Open Minister Alba Vergés answered the
Data Portal (access our data). most voted ones, which organized in
three main areas: chronic
symptomatology in COVID-19
Communication and
patients, PCR tests and de-
transparency confinement phases. All questions
The Secretary of Transparency and were public, allowing the participants
Open Government has centralised and to engage in a fruitful debate around
integrated, in a unique website, all the main issues and prioritize the most
open data datasets and initiatives that important ones, and the exercise
are available concerning the impact helped to bring forward neglected
and evolution of the COVID-19 crisis, topics that had been kept out of the
to have an open and transparent public agenda by mainstream media,
communication with the citizens. thus helping the Government to better
Moreover, we have created a diagnose the issues at stake. In the
catalogue of the different examples of coming weeks, other government
representatives will take part in this
18initiative. The digital portal Transparency and Open Government,
participa.gencat.cat, the Government’s the Government of Catalonia has
Platform to facilitate citizen identified best practices abroad, as
participation in Catalonia, hosted this well as recommendations launched by
session. More information. international and European institutions
and think tanks. These best practices
have been delivered to the technical
Website information on COVID-
committee in charge of drafting the
19 and European funds COVID-19 crisis recovery plan, which
The website of the European funds in will be structured based on the SDGs.
Catalonia has opened a new section to
gather the financial resources of the
Euromediterranean relations and
EU at the disposal of Catalan
organizations to contain the pandemic COVID-19
and the crisis caused by the COVID- On the 25th anniversary of the
19. In addition to news and calls for Barcelona Process (1995-2020), the
proposals, it will highlight the EU- Catalan Government, in collaboration
funded projects in Catalonia related to with the IEMed, is promoting the
the COVID-19 crisis. More information. “Dialogues of the Mediterranean +25”
cycle. Within the framework of this
initiative, different seminars with
Support to representation in EC
participation of actors from both sides
committees of the Mediterranean will take place to
The department has contacted all the analyse the challenges for the region
representatives of Catalan at a complex time of post-COVID-19
administration in European recovery, with proposals addressed to
Commission committees to analyse all the European cooperation in the
the adjustments needed or introduced region. The first one of these
on the work of each committee due to Dialogues will address the COVID-19
COVID-19 crisis. When necessary, the crisis as an accelerator of the
department has provided specific digitalisation path in the region:
support. ‘Digitalising Mediterranean small and
medium enterprises: a path towards
innovation development in a post-
Identification of good practices
COVID era’.
for economic and social
recovery
Through its delegations abroad, the
Secretary for Foreign and European
Affairs and the Secretary for
1904. Department of Home Affairs
Measures adopted in the an authorised activity, the Department
of Home Affairs has launched a Self-
emergency phase
responsible Mobility Certificate
(available online). Its use is non-
Enforcement of confinement mandatory, it allows for the
measures: standardisation of procedures and can
only be requested by police officers.
In order to enforce confinement
measures and reduce citizens’
mobility, Mossos d’Esquadra Update and activation of
(Regional Police forces), in PROCICAT (Civil Protection Plan
coordination with Local Police forces,
of Catalonia)
have set up police-controls all over the
The Action Plan for Emergencies
territory. Citizens found outside have to
related to Emerging High-Risk
justify their mobility based on the
Transmissible Diseases (revised on 4
exceptions laid down in the Royal
March 2020) is the existing plan to
Decree on the State of Alarm. As a
manage emergencies arising from
result, over the last four weeks, the
these diseases, give support to the
Metropolitan Area of has experienced
strategy from the Directorate General
an important reduction of mobility rates
of Public Health to minimise the spread
(nearly 65%).
of the pandemic, maintain basic
services and coordinate all the actors
involved in the response. (Available in
Catalan.)
The plan includes two Emergency
Phases, which foresees specific
actions depending on the severity of
the situation. The first phase of the
plan was activated on 12 March 2020
and it implied civil protection measures
Self-responsible mobility (beyond sanitary ones) and actions to
certificate guarantee the provision of basic
services. Some of the decisions taken
In order to help police officers in their
so far include:
patrolling tasks and help citizens make
sure that a specific movement outside The restriction of movements in
corresponds or does not correspond to the municipalities of Igualada,
20Vilanova del Camí, Santa Information on activity
Margarida de Montbui and restrictions
Òdena due to the amount of
The Directorate General of Civil
COVID-19 cases there (link to
Protection has launched an online site
the decision)
giving citizens all the necessary
The suspension of activities in information about how to proceed in
schools and universities (link to case of a COVID-19 related
the decision) emergency and what is allowed or not
The coordination, support and allowed under the current
information to local authorities, circumstances. It includes a FAQs
which also play a role in civil page that is updated twice a day.
protection measures
From an organisational perspective, Gender-based violence
the Steering Committee of the Plan
Bearing in mind that confinement
(Home Affairs and Health Ministers) is
measures can lead to an increase in
the maximum authority responsible for,
the number of gender-based violence
among others, evaluating the situation,
cases, Mossos d’Esquadra has
deciding on the measures and
doubled efforts and intensified
communication strategy and
contacts with women who had
prioritising basic services. It receives
previously reported their cases to the
assistance from the Advisory Council
authorities.
and the Technical Committee
(Representatives and experts from
Health Services, Police Forces, Civil Social media
Protection, Medical Emergency
Official social media accounts from the
Services and other actors that analyse,
Department of Home Affairs, Civil
evaluate and propose actions). The
Protection Units and Mossos
Information and Communication Office
d’Esquadra are constantly engaging
coordinates and channels all the
with citizens to update them on the
information given to citizens and the
crisis, answer their questions and
Action Group (specialized bodies with
explain their actions. As an example,
their own resources) implements the
Mossos d’Esquadra recently shared a
actions and measures (health
video in sign language to reach a
services, police forces, civil protection,
broader audience.
logistical infrastructures, etc.).
Awareness-raising on the use of
112 emergency number
Due to the increasing amount of
21COVID-19 related calls to the 112 and services available for them (24h
emergency number instead of the 061 free telephone helpline 900 900 120;
CatSalut Respon (Health Answer), the email address
Department has elaborated a video mossos.atenciovictimes@gencat.cat
explaining the proper use and purpose and WhatsApp 671 778 540). As
of this number so that the service does Mossos d’Esquadra emphasise,
not collapse. This way, calls requiring judicial and police forces continue to
an emergency response (ambulance, work to eradicate any kind of violence
police or firefighters) can be managed and, despite the state of emergency,
without delay. More information. victims are allowed break confinement
to ask for help. More information.
Measures adopted in
the recovery phase
Guidelines to address gender- Storytelling to celebrate Sant
based and domestic violence Jordi
during confinement
Sant Jordi is a special festivity in
Mossos d’Esquadra has published a Catalonia, when streets are full of
set of action guidelines for people who people buying and offering books and
could be victims of gender-based and roses. Since this year’s celebration
domestic violence and who, due to could not take place in normal
confinement measures, are forced to circumstances, police officers decided
spend more time with their aggressor. to read children stories through their
This guide includes specific advice and corporate Instagram account. Mossos
action procedures for each d’Esquadra wanted to thank children
vulnerability group (women, children, for their behaviour during confinement.
teenagers and persons with More information.
disabilities) as well as all the resources
22Website with recommendations Recommendations to ensure the
to better address confinement safe return of children onto the
Civil Protection has launched a street
website with the main Following the decision to allow children
recommendations, advice and good onto the street one hour per day from
practices to ensure a good 26 April 2020 onwards, Civil Protection
confinement while reducing its has elaborated a document with basic
negative effects. On the one hand, the information so that families know what
website offers guidelines to ensure they are allowed to do. To ensure the
solidarity and support among proper implementation of this measure
neighbours and help those in situations and avoid huge concentrations of
of vulnerability. On the other, it also people undermining social distancing
offers care advice for children, people measures, the Technical Committee of
with disabilities and elderly persons PROCICAT has also approved a
and practical recommendations so that proposal of timeslots according to age,
citizens adopt healthy and dynamic which has been sent to the Central
routines. More information. Government. More information.
Distribution of masks for those Corps of Firefighters of
using public transport Catalonia
Following the decision on 13 April 2020 Catalan Firefighters’ action during
to put an end to the restriction of labour COVID-19 focused on areas such as
activity to essential services, Red logistical support to build temporary
Cross and Civil Protection volunteers health infrastructures, distribution of
distributed masks in public transport masks, operative support to disinfect
stations and interchanges in buildings and infrastructures in critical
municipalities with more than 30,000 situations and operative support in
inhabitants so that citizens could go to managing multiple-victim scenarios.
work safely. More information. In the Furthermore, the Corps has also
following days, the remaining masks offered firefighters with nursing
were distributed among nursing homes knowledge and ventilators to hospitals
throughout Catalonia to offer a better all over the territory. All these actions
protection to both workers and are subject to the guidelines of Health
residents. More information. Authorities. More information.
23Exit Strategy the competent organs within the
Government of Catalonia, in close
On the 28 April, the Government of
collaboration with representatives from
Spain adopted the ‘Plan for the
the local level, are in charge of drafting
Transition towards new normality’,
them. Once adopted by the Technical
which sets the main parameters and
Committee of PROCICAT, they are
instruments to return to normal life.
publicly available here.
This Plan, which started in 4 May,
foresees four phases of two-week To explain the de-confinement process
duration each. More information. to all the citizens, this official webpage
When it comes to the Exit Strategy, the contains detailed information on the
final decision on the move from one implications, measures in force and
phase to another must come from the evolution of each one of these ‘sanitary
National Ministry of Health based on a Regions’. So far, the Ministry has
process of common governance with published an updated Q&A in English
the Autonomous Communities. More with the implications of the different
information. phases. Restrictive measures will ease
as sanitary regions move from one
In Catalonia, the Technical Committee
phase to the other.
of PROCICAT, which gathers
representatives from all the actors To complement this process and raise
involved in the management and awareness on the exit strategy and
application of confinement measures, self-protection measures in a more
presents and decides on the accessible and understandable way,
proposals, which the Steering Civil Protection’s official twitter is
Committee has to adopt. The constantly publishing graphic
Committee is made up of the Home information on, for example, the
Affairs and Health Ministers. mandatory use of masks (link), the
recommendation of time slots for
From the end of May on, Catalonia’s
outdoors activities (link) or security
exist strategy proceeds by seven
measures in cafés and terraces (link).
‘sanitary regions’: Barcelona, Central
Catalonia, Girona, Lleida, Pyrenees
and Aran, Tarragona and Ebre. To Story telling on the Exit Strategy
move from one phase to another, the
On the 21 May, Police Officers from
proposal has to be adopted by the
Mossos d’Esquadra went live on their
Committee before being handed over
official Instagram and Facebook
to the Central Government for the final
account to read children a book called
decision.
‘Ja puc sortir de casa’ (I can already
When it comes to the ‘de-confinement leave home). Recently written by
plans’ of the different public services Lourdes Campuzano. This book
and socioeconomic sectors of activity,
24explains children the measures and
recommendations that they should
follow when they go out on the street
through the story of two siblings.
Medical experts from the hospitals
‘Sant Joan de Déu’ and ‘Germans
Tries i Pujol’ gave their advice for the
elaboration of this book. More
information.
2505. Department of Education
Measures adopted in the
Helping those in need
emergency phase
Adoption of urgent measures to
Supporting Online Learning prevent malnutrition wherever there
are children exposed to such risk
Launching of an action plan to support
(depending on public support to get hot
distant learning, including the
meals). Mobilisation of resources to
distribution of 22,000 laptops with
support companies delivering a.o.
connection to pupils without access to
transport and catering services to
such equipment. It also created 600+
schools.
(mostly Moodle-based, but also using
Google classroom and Microsoft
Teams) environments so all education Supporting families
providers can deliver virtual education. Publication of a website with guidance
More information. It distributed more and support on home-schooling and
than 100 pedagogical projects for this distant-learning etology, with
period of confinement to all institutions subthemes such as: time spent with
needing it, arranged in a searchable families; relation between families and
manner (by educational level, by schools; Healthy usage of technology;
subject-matter). Access to the search values, support for children; promotion
engine. It also decided to grant of a healthy life. More information.
unrestricted access to all educational
contents of its Open Institute of
Catalonia (IOC) platform. All contents Measures adopted in
of IOC. the recovery phase
Cancellation of exams
Adaptation of calendars
The Department decided to call off
(ongoing)
tests for: 6th graders in primary (7 April
2020), and for joint "batxibac" The Department decided to move up
(batxillerat-baccalauréat, recognised the calendar for registration to the next
both in Spain and France) secondary academic year (2020-21) for all levels
education completion. Likewise, it (primary, secondary, vocational) and
shared guidelines on how to evaluate made all necessary arrangements for it
students with learning outcomes to take place online wherever possible,
acquired before and during the or in a secured manner physically (with
lockdown. all hygienic measures). More
26information. A final decision on A specific decision has been made to
whether and how to return to school re-inforce alertness regarding the
before the summer break has yet to be frequency of cleaning, the
made. manipulation of objects, recommended
vaccinations, etc.
Virtual orientation days during
May 2020, sessions, services Setup of a specific portal to
and support to provide guidance support the emotional side of
to students while choosing their going back to school having
post-compulsory education path suffered the collateral
It has received more than 1.6 million consequences of a lockdown
visitors, as per graph below: Resources have been compiled in this
website, available to all staff and to the
public at large.
Check the dedicated portal here.
Check the general website on
educational offer here.
Re-opening of educational
centres located in regions which
have been moved to stage 2 out
from March 2020 lock-down and
State of alarm
As per the limitation and social
distancing imposed by PROCICAT
plan, plannings will need to be adapted
so as to allow for non-coincidence of
large numbers of pupils.
As of stage 3, groups of up to 10 pupils
will be able to sit in the same
classroom.
2706. Department of Health
Measures adopted in the dashboard and a heat map. This
allowed public decision-makers and
emergency phase
individuals to access reliable
information to track the situation on
Stop COVID-19 application
real time. Furthermore, open data from
On 18 March 2020, the Government of all COVID-19 tests has been made
Catalonia launched an app intending to available to the public.
control and detect new COVID-19
cases in Catalonia. Every patient
registered with symptoms will be Temporal hospitals set up at the
monitored daily (or more frequently). ‘Fira de Barcelona’ and other
Thus, it will benefit both patients, who locations
will get personalised feedback based To take care of stable COVID-19
on their symptoms, as well as the patients and prevent the collapse of
government, obtaining real-time data hospitals, the Health Department set
about the evolution and incidence of up several hospitals that could
the illness in the Catalan territory. If increase bed capacity if needed.
needed, a medical emergency service
One of the spaces was the CEM
can also be activated according to the
Olímpics Vall d’Hebron, as an
situation of the user. More information.
extension of the Vall d’Hebron
University Hospital that
accommodated up to 132 patients.
Healthcare professionals were
reincorporated at hospitals and
tested
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many
healthcare professionals have been
Real-time data centre reincorporated into the health system,
The Department of Health and the especially in Igualada Hospital,
Agency of Health Quality and situated in La Conca d’Òdena (its
Assessment of Catalonia (AQuAS) primary catchment area), which was
released a website gathering all the the first detected COVID-19 hotspot in
information about the pandemic Catalonia. From the 25 March, all
situation in Catalonia including a professionals working at Igualada
Hospital had been tested for COVID-
2819. In addition, this centre welcomed increase the capacity of use of this
42 direct hires of new healthcare device are highly valuable. The
professionals to strengthen the care in Department of Health has provided
the region and 180 beds were support to initiatives such as 3D-
allocated from the General Hospital of printed or other novel ventilation
Catalonia specifically for patients in systems and devices, in the validation
this area. More information. process at the regulatory agencies with
the purpose of enabling the mass
production and use in the event
‘My health’
another peak puts pressure again to
An online form was made available in the need of such devices. Report by
order for citizens to have easier access the Agency of Health and Quality
to their files. This used to be a Assessment of Catalonia (AQuAS) on
procedure that had to be done in newly approved procedures, devices
person but can now be made online in and joint ventures.
order to ensure that people do not
need to go to a health centre in the
context of the health emergency Clinical trial
caused by COVID-19. This measure The Department of Health is co-
was created with the intention to avoid leading a clinical trial study, which
the collapse of health centres. More started in March 2020 with the aim of
information. evaluating the effectiveness of a
preventive strategy to reduce
transmission and, therefore, the
Hotels hosted mild patients with
incidence of COVID-19 in the
COVID-19 population during the outbreak by
Hotel beds were available for hospitals COVID-19 in Catalonia.
to allocate patients who had symptoms
but could not isolate at their homes due
to the difficulties of their environment.
Healthcare professionals and social Measures adopted in
health workers assisted the patients, the recovery phase
who had primary care support. Healthcare professionals will
receive a COVID-19 premium as
Fast track validation of 3D a compensation for their
printed ventilators extraordinary efforts
As ventilators are a critical device to The premium will range from €350 to
assist some of the patients with €1,350. 800 of these professionals
COVID-19, initiatives helping to were able to stay at hotels (more than
2915,000 overnight stays), opened for The e-Health site, ‘La Meva
this purpose during the peak. Salut’, has been made widely
available and more flexible
170,000 serological tests will be Increased availability will foster tele-
performed to healthcare medicine and distance support. This
professionals service has experienced a surge, with
a 300% rise in new registrations, and
These tests are a priority in the exit
with 1,000 doctors working remotely.
strategy. Permanent monitoring is
More information.
underway to support the differentiated
de-confinement (according to the
Efforts to re-instate basic
epidemiological situation of each
health region). ordinary activities, such as
blood donations, organ
transplants, or colorectal testing
2 out of 4 temporary COVID-19 to target groups.
sites are now being dismantled
ER activity was down by almost 50%
However, preparations are already during this crisis, but healthcare
underway to face a second wave, so provision for chronic diseases was
the other two sites will remain inactive maintained.
but open and ready. The actions
include anticipated procurement of
strategic material, equipment, and Exit Strategy
chemical and pharmaceutical The Health minister is part, along with
substances. A still-ongoing campaign, the Home Affairs Minister, of the
‘#JoActuo’, was set up to facilitate Steering Committee that adopts the
donations and has managed to gather decisions taken by the Technical
individual donations, adding up to Committee of PROCICAT with regard
more than 1 MEUR, a million gloves, to de-confinement measures. This
millions of masks of all types, more strategy is described in the department
than 10 T of hydro alcoholic gel, rental of Home Affairs section.
cars and trucks and volunteer drivers,
non-perishable foodstuffs, bottled
water, and so on.
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