Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of September 4, 2026, from the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation, publishing the Agreement with the Provincial Council of Teruel for the development of the Territorial Innovation Center |
|---|---|
| Publication | September 14, 2026 |
| Entry into force | September 2, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Rural municipalities, entrepreneurs and citizens in the province of Teruel affected by depopulation |
| Category | Public Sector |
| Year | 2026 |
| Regulatory framework | Government Measures Plan for the Demographic Challenge (2021) and EU Rural Vision 2040 |
| Reference network | National CIT Network (Territorial Innovation Centers) |
If you have a business, a project or manage a municipality in the province of Teruel, this agreement is directly relevant to you. The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the Provincial Council of Teruel have signed an agreement—published through the Resolution of September 4, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-19186)—to create the Territorial Innovation Center (CIT) of Teruel. It is not a statement of intent: the agreement is already in force as of September 2, 2026 and consolidates a previous trajectory between both institutions.
The CIT is not just another office. It is a coordination platform among local actors, entities, economic agents and the academic world, designed to generate innovative projects in rural areas at risk of depopulation. And being part of its ecosystem can make a difference when it comes to accessing financing or promoting territorial initiatives.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement formalizes the creation of the Territorial Innovation Center (CIT) of Teruel, which is integrated into the National CIT Network. This network is the central government's instrument for articulating the response to the demographic challenge in the territory, and the CIT of Teruel becomes one of its operational nodes.
The framework in which this agreement is framed is twofold:
- Government Measures Plan for the Demographic Challenge (2021): national strategy to halt depopulation and revitalize rural areas.
- EU Rural Vision 2040: European roadmap to ensure that rural areas are stronger, more connected, resilient and prosperous by 2040.
The agreement does not start from scratch: it continues and consolidates the work of a previous agreement already signed between the Government and the Provincial Council of Teruel, which means there are previous experiences to build on and an institutional structure already in place.
The main functions of the CIT of Teruel are:
- Act as a collaboration ecosystem to promote innovative projects in depopulated rural areas of Teruel.
- Coordinate local actors: municipalities, entities, economic agents and the academic sector.
- Strengthen the provincial socioeconomic fabric through territorial innovation initiatives.
- Facilitate access to financing for rural entrepreneurship and territorial cohesion projects.
Economic and operational impact
The impact of this agreement is not a direct subsidy figure—the available data does not detail specific financing amounts—but rather the opening of an institutional channel that can translate into real economic opportunities for those who know how to take advantage of it.
The most relevant practical effects are:
- Preferential access to financing: projects channeled through the CIT have greater visibility in state and European calls linked to the demographic challenge and Rural Vision 2040.
- Reduction of barriers to rural entrepreneurship: the CIT acts as an intermediary between entrepreneurs and administrations, facilitating procedures and connections.
- Territorial cohesion: small municipalities that individually do not have the capacity to present complex projects can do so through the CIT ecosystem.
- Synergies with the academic sector: connection with universities and research centers can generate knowledge transfer applicable to rural businesses.
The fact that this agreement continues a previous relationship between the Government and the Provincial Council of Teruel is a sign of institutional maturity: there is no need to wait for the CIT to "start up", as there is already an operational structure on which to build.
Who does it affect?
- Rural municipalities in the province of Teruel at risk of depopulation or already affected by it.
- Entrepreneurs and self-employed workers who develop or want to develop activity in rural Teruel.
- Local companies interested in territorial innovation projects or in accessing financing linked to the demographic challenge.
- Entities and associations of the third sector active in the province of Teruel.
- Economic agents and chambers of commerce in the area.
- Academic institutions and research centers with presence or interest in the Teruel territory.
- Technicians and managers of the Provincial Council of Teruel and provincial town halls.
Practical example
Imagine a small agri-food company in a rural municipality in Teruel—say, with fewer than 500 inhabitants—that wants to digitize its sales process and access urban markets. Individually, it does not have the capacity to submit a project to a state call for rural innovation or to connect with a university that can help it develop the solution.
Through the CIT of Teruel, that company can:
- Connect with other local actors (other producers, the town hall, a rural development association) to present a joint project with greater weight.
- Access the knowledge of the academic network coordinated by the CIT to obtain technical advice.
- Be identified by the CIT as a replicable success case, increasing its visibility in state and European financing calls framed within Rural Vision 2040.
This type of institutional intermediation is precisely the differential value of the CIT compared to acting alone.
What should companies do now?
- Identify if your activity is within the territorial scope of the CIT: the agreement affects the province of Teruel, especially rural areas at risk of depopulation. If you operate there, the CIT is relevant to you.
- Contact the Provincial Council of Teruel: as a signatory to the agreement, the Provincial Council is the gateway to the CIT for companies, self-employed workers and municipalities in the province.
- Review financing calls linked to the Demographic Challenge: the CIT facilitates access, but the calls have their own deadlines. Do not wait for the CIT to notify you: actively monitor the calls from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and European funds from Rural Vision 2040.
- Explore local alliances: the CIT rewards collaborative projects. Identify other actors in your environment (other businesses, associations, town hall) with whom you can present joint initiatives.
- Connect with the academic sector: if you have an innovation challenge in your rural business, the CIT can be the channel to access universities or research centers without having to do it on your own.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Territorial Innovation Center (CIT) of Teruel and what is it for?
The CIT of Teruel is a collaboration ecosystem created through an agreement between the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the Provincial Council of Teruel. Its function is to coordinate municipalities, entrepreneurs, economic agents and the academic sector to promote innovative projects in depopulated rural areas of the province. It is integrated into the National CIT Network and facilitates access to financing and rural entrepreneurship.
When does the CIT of Teruel agreement come into force?
The agreement between the Government and the Provincial Council of Teruel for the CIT came into force on September 2, 2026, even before its publication in the BOE, which occurred on September 14, 2026.
What municipalities or areas of Teruel benefit from the CIT?
The agreement is aimed at rural municipalities in the province of Teruel affected by depopulation. A closed list of municipalities is not specified: the criterion is the situation of demographic risk in the provincial rural environment.
Is there direct financing for companies through the CIT of Teruel?
The agreement does not establish specific amounts of direct subsidies to companies. The CIT acts as a coordination and access platform: it facilitates rural entrepreneurship and territorial cohesion projects in Teruel to access state and European financing calls, especially those linked to the Plan of Measures for the Demographic Challenge (2021) and the EU Rural Vision 2040.
Is the CIT of Teruel a new initiative or does it continue something previous?
The CIT of Teruel consolidates and continues the work of a previous agreement already signed between the Government and the Provincial Council of Teruel. It does not start from scratch: there is a previous trajectory and accumulated experiences on which this new agreement is built.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-19186
