Por María Izquierdo 
Launched in Fermoselle, Zamora, the Plan Socioeconómico de La Raya by Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, President of the Junta de Castilla y León, aims to boost balanced economic growth, strengthen territorial cohesion, promote population settlement, enhance cross-border cooperation, and project an image of an active and innovative territory. The initiative, with a budget exceeding 90 million euros over six years, targets the 62,000 residents across 175 municipalities in Zamora and Salamanca, covering natural regions like Sanabria, La Carballeda, Aliste, Sayago, Vitigudino, and Ciudad Rodrigo. The plan, developed in collaboration with local entities and social agents, underscores the commitment of the Junta de Castilla y León to the peripheral areas of the community.
The plan encompasses a range of measures, such as investments in infrastructure to enhance mobility and connections with Portugal, providing financial aid of at least 15,000 euros for entrepreneurs, offering new industrial land to businesses, promoting innovative projects with high added value and environmental sensitivity, leveraging the unique natural and heritage resources of the region, launching a comprehensive tourism strategy to boost commerce, and implementing various initiatives related to housing, digitalization, and urban space modernization.
Structured around five key areas of intervention, the Plan Socioeconómico de La Raya focuses on promoting economic development from the territory, creating an integral tourism strategy, investing in strategic infrastructures, fostering territorial cohesion, and enhancing cross-border cooperation.
In the realm of economic promotion, the plan will directly impact the territory by supporting entrepreneurship, driving innovation, increasing business financing, and encouraging industrial land allocation. The Junta, together with provincial councils, will establish four intervention offices, with at least two located in bordering municipalities with Portugal to enhance cross-border collaboration.
Regarding the tourism strategy, the aim is to establish a global and inclusive tourism product that capitalizes on the region’s natural resources and historical heritage. An extensive linear tourism product, ‘Raya Ibérica de Castilla y León,’ will be developed to link key destinations, complemented by radial routes. Investment will focus on unique elements of the Natural Heritage of La Raya, earmarking at least 400,000 euros for this purpose.
Infrastructure investments will target mobility improvements, especially in communications with Portugal, including projects like the modernization of the ZA-921 road and the recovery of the rural route known as «Senda del Lobo.» Additionally, efforts will continue to push for the realization of the international variant of Rihonor and its international connection.
In terms of territorial cohesion, the plan will support the launch of four intervention offices to aid productive and investment initiatives in La Raya, with at least two situated in bordering municipalities with Portugal to foster cross-border cooperation. Projects will be identified, coordinated, and managed by provincial councils, with a focus on socio-economic initiatives and a requirement for at least 50% of resources to develop productive projects for La Raya.
As for cross-border cooperation, the plan aligns with the Strategies of Cross-Border Cooperation and the European programs POCTEP, focusing on joint projects with Portuguese partners to enhance the territorial scope of the plan. Initiatives will include public-private partnerships related to the «Ruta de La Raya Ibérica de Castilla y León,» innovation and digitalization collaborations, the incorporation of the POCTEP IBERUS-SmartCDT project, knowledge transfer through technological institutions, and the promotion of endogenous resources through research and viable projects. Additional efforts will be made to fortify cross-border cooperation, emphasizing the `Marca La Raya´ as a recognized entity beyond the territory.
FUENTE