25 de September de 2026
Dinamización rural
Resiliencia y competitividad
Biodiversidad y paisaje
Citizens can participate in the fourth edition of the competition, organized by the General Secretariat of European Funds of the Ministry of Finance
Citizens can participate in the fourth edition of the competition, organized by the General Secretariat of European Funds of the Ministry of Finance
The CAP Network focuses on three projects financed by the EAFRD fund and on other agricultural and rural initiatives that compete with funding from other European funds
The Europa Se Siente 2026 competition is moving forward into its fourth edition with direct citizen participation through a virtual public vote. Among the participating projects are various initiatives linked to rural areas and the agricultural sector, three of which are funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), one of the funds of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) , along with EAGF .
European funds will once again demonstrate in 2026 how their financing translates into concrete projects capable of generating opportunities, transforming territories, and addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges. Rural areas and the agricultural sector also feature prominently in this showcase of initiatives developed in Spain.
The fourth edition of the Europa Se Siente competition recognizes projects co-financed with European funds and distributes them into six categories: #EuropaSeSiente Competitiva, #EuropaSeSiente Verde, #EuropaSeSiente Conectada, #EuropaSeSiente Social, #EuropaSeSiente Cercana and #EuropaTeMueve Autonomía Estratégica.
The competition thus brings together initiatives supported by various European instruments, from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) , and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) , to actions promoted by the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (RTRP) . This diversity allows for a demonstration of how European funding impacts areas such as innovation, competitiveness, the ecological transition, connectivity, social inclusion, and territorial development.
A more participatory edition
One of the main new features of Europe Feels 2026 is the increase in citizen participation in the selection of projects.
Following the submission of applications and the selection of participating projects, the competition has opened a virtual public vote , allowing citizens to participate in the process. To ensure transparency and that each person casts a single, verified vote, the official platform requires an email address and uses a verification system via a unique link.
The official website of the competition allows users to view the participating projects, learn about their characteristics and access the voting for Europe Feels 2026.
Three EAFRD projects bring the CAP to the vote at Europe Feels 2026
Among the participating initiatives, the CAP Network is particularly focused on three projects funded by the EAFRD, the European fund linked to rural development within the framework of the CAP. These projects demonstrate different ways of channeling this funding to the local area, from the sustainable transformation of the agri-food sector to green infrastructure, heritage conservation, and the revitalization of rural areas.
The three projects are:
CELEGA Biofactory (FEADER) , within the #EuropeFeelsGreen initiative. The project has transformed the production model of a traditional dairy industry, moving towards a biofactory based on the circular economy, energy efficiency, and resource valorization . The technological modernization incorporates a biogas plant connected to the factory's steam generation system, enabling the transformation of organic waste and byproducts from its own operations into renewable energy.
The Tharsis-Odiel Greenway (FEADER) , part of #EuropeFeelsConnected , has created a green infrastructure bordering the Odiel Marshes Biosphere Reserve. This 30-kilometer route connects areas of Aljaraque, Gibraleón, and Huelva, all reserved for pedestrians and cyclists . The greenway also helps to highlight the area's heritage, landscape, and natural resources, such as the Tharsis pier.
The Casa Fuerte de la Encomienda , in Valencia del Ventoso (FEADER), is part of the #EuropaSeSiente Cercana initiative. The project has restored a historic building of great heritage value and transformed it into a space serving the community and the development of the rural area , with cultural, tourist, and social uses, and as a resource for boosting the municipality's economy.
These three nominations place the EAFRD and the CAP among the European instruments present in the fourth edition of Europe Feels and allow us to show, through concrete actions, their contribution to sustainability, economic diversification and the improvement of rural territories.
The agricultural and rural character, beyond CAP funds
Along with the three projects financed by the EAFRD, Europa Se Siente 2026 includes other initiatives closely related to the agricultural sector, rural areas, natural resources and territorial development, although their funding comes from instruments other than the CAP funds.
The CAP Network also highlights:
Jaén, the sea of olive trees (PRTR) , a strategy aimed at transforming the olive grove landscape of Jaén through sustainability, innovation and rural development, with olive oil tourism as an element to strengthen the relationship between olive oil, landscape and local culture.
TERRALab (FSE/FSE+) , a territorial innovation infrastructure that supports young people, projects and municipalities in generating opportunities for entrepreneurship, employment and local development through training, mentoring, community, digital tools and innovation methodologies.
OVIHUEC.DAT (PRTR) , an initiative that introduces a public livestock herd with a focus on providing ecosystem services, such as the recovery of pasture areas and the maintenance of the landscape, and that incorporates new technologies for livestock management and its contribution to fire risk and in favor of biodiversity and soil.
La Nogalera 2025 (PRTR) , a project aimed at reducing the risk of flooding through nature-based solutions and the renaturalization of the river environment, has recovered around 25,000 square meters of river space and incorporated trees and shrubs typical of this ecosystem.
Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory (PRTR) , a pilot experience of ecological transition and territorial regeneration based on community management of the forest, environmental restoration and the strengthening of local economies, in which forest communities, social entities, public administrations, research groups and agents of the primary sector participate.
The presence of these initiatives demonstrates that rural development transcends funds specifically linked to the CAP and also finds funding avenues in other European instruments aimed at recovery, social cohesion, ecological transition or territorial innovation.
Six categories to show the impact of European funds
The projects participating in Europe Feels 2026 are distributed into six categories that represent different areas of action of European funding: Competitive, Green, Connected, Social, Local and Strategic Autonomy.
This classification includes initiatives related to industrial transformation and digitalization, the ecological transition, mobility and connectivity, social inclusion, local development, and strategic technologies. The presence of agricultural and rural projects in various categories also highlights the cross-cutting nature of rural development, linked to areas such as innovation, sustainability, digitalization, heritage, tourism, and the creation of new economic opportunities.
From citizen voting to the final
The opening of the public vote marks a new step for the projects participating in Europe Feels 2026. The official portal brings together the nominations from the six categories and their presentation videos, and allows direct access to the voting system.
The competition is thus moving towards its final phase, in which the projects recognized in this fourth edition will be determined and the diversity of actions developed in Spain thanks to European funds will be highlighted once again.
Links of interest