The mayor of O Rosal, Ánxela Fernández Callís, was invited to the European Committee of the Regions to present the municipality's experience in energy and sustainability, calling for direct funding for small municipalities. O Rosal has managed over 5 million euros in European funds in the last five years.
The town presented examples such as the recovery of public spaces, more comfortable rural schools, a 60% saving in public lighting, and citizen organization to produce and manage their own electricity. These projects demonstrate the capacity of small municipalities to lead major energy transformations.
In her speech at the seminar ‘Developing Resilient Regional and Local Energy Communities in the EU’, Fernández Callís highlighted that Next Generation EU funds have enabled the development of ambitious energy efficiency and sustainability projects, improving residents' lives.
The mayor emphasized that European funding translates into concrete and visible results that the population perceives daily, transforming the territory and responding to real needs.
Focus was also placed on the creation of O Rosal Enerxía, a local energy community aiming for a sustainable and participatory energy model, where citizens play an active role in the production, decision-making, and collective management of energy.
Fernández Callís advocated for European funds to reach municipalities more directly, as their transformative capacity multiplies when replicated across thousands of European municipalities, building effective policies from the ground up.
