The CES Research Award increases to 15,000 euros

The Regional Ministry of Employment, Enterprise and Self-Employment has increased the endowment of the Economic and Social Council of Andalusia Research Award to 15,000 euros, which until now was 10,000 euros. This is established by the Order of September 11, 2026, signed by the regional minister Rocío Blanco Eguren, which modifies the regulatory bases of the award and is published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia (BOJA) number 180, of September 16, 2026 (text no. 11946).

The regulation, which enters into force the day after its publication, reforms the Order of November 22, 2021, which resumed the annual granting of the award after a hiatus of nearly a decade. The stated objective is to update the amount to the general economic situation and make the recognition more attractive for the submission of candidacies, given the time dedication required to carry out the work.

An award with two decades of history

The award was created by the Order of January 16, 2003, with the first call to promote research in socioeconomic and labor matters of interest to the autonomous community and to collaborate in the dissemination of its results. Annual editions with specific bases were held until 2010, until regulatory techniques and management improvements led to the establishment of general bases through the Order of March 23, 2011.

After the 2011 and 2012 calls, the award ceased to be announced due to the austerity resulting from the economic crisis. It was the Order of November 22, 2021 (BOJA number 230, of November 30) that resumed it on an annual basis with an endowment of 10,000 euros for the best project, to be developed in a complete work over 12 months.

New amount and budgetary flexibility

Article 9 of the bases is rewritten to set the award at fifteen thousand euros (€15,000), in addition to a diploma accrediting the distinction. The amount may be reduced or increased in each annual call depending on the budgetary credit allocated in the corresponding Budget Law of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

The aim is for the determination of the amount to be more flexible so that the regulatory bases do not have to be modified solely for its update, whether upwards or downwards, provided that budgetary availability allows it. The measure intends to stimulate participation and result in an increase in the quality of the participating projects.

Data protection of candidates

The order also incorporates a new Article 21 on the protection of personal data, which subjects the processing to the applicable regulations:

• Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) and Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5.
• The Economic and Social Council of Andalusia acts as the data controller, with a legal basis in Law 5/1997, of November 26.
• Data will be kept indefinitely as long as the calls for applications remain in effect, to verify that the same project is not submitted to previous editions.

The regulation complies with the principles of necessity, effectiveness, proportionality, legal certainty, transparency, and efficiency provided for in Article 129 of Law 39/2015, and does not introduce new administrative burdens.

A boost to Andalusian socioeconomic research

With this increase, the Economic and Social Council of Andalusia reinforces its role as specific recognition for economic, social, and labor research, a field that lacked its own incentives compared to general awards on Andalusian themes. The increase seeks both to reward researchers already dedicated to this field and to attract new talent, in a context where the quality of the projects depends on the dedication required by the work.

Source: Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia (BOJA), number 180, September 16, 2026, section 1. General provisions, page 11946 (official reference: text no. 11946).