The acting Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has participated in the plenary conference with which Automotive Meetings Madrid has opened, an international event aimed at the automotive supply chain.

This event, which is being held for the first time in our country, is organized by ABE (Advanced Business Events), an entity specialized in this type of meetings at a global level, in collaboration with SERNAUTO, the Spanish Association of Automotive Suppliers.

"For our country, the automotive industry is a key sector that should continue to play a leading role in our future economic model. We are aware of the transformation that the sector is experiencing, "said Minister Maroto. Thus, "We need to establish shared, comprehensive and orderly strategies to tackle this challenge with responsibility".

In the specific field of the electric vehicle, "the Government wants to guarantee that, as with more traditional technologies, Spain has outstanding actors throughout the entire value chain," he said. "We want convert Spain into a platform for investment and development of the technologies associated with the electric vehicle, in a meeting point of the main actors in the mobility of the future ".

The Minister of Industry concluded by showing her support for the sector: "From the Government we are committed to accompany the sector in this transition. If we work together, a promising future awaits us in the development of this paradigm of sustainable, safe and intelligent mobility ".

During today and tomorrow, B2B meetings will take place at IFEMA-Feria de Madrid between the different operators of the supply chain at an international level (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier3, services linked to OEMs, new technologies, logistics, talent recruitment … ). Specifically, they are participating 203 companies from 19 countries.

At the opening of the plenary conference, Jordi Llidó, partner of Deloitte, driver of the event, highlighted the role played by Spain in the global automotive market and the great challenges that lie ahead.

The event was opened by David Moneo, director of Motor and Mobility at IFEMA; Maria Helena Antolin, president of SERNAUTO; and Stéphane Castet, president of ABE (organizing entity).

The director of IFEMA Motor & Mobility Group, David Moneo, thanked during his welcome the confidence shown by Advanced Business Events and SERNAUTO – "an entity with which we have a close relationship" – when choosing IFEMA to hold an event of this relevance . He also highlighted the involvement of IFEMA with the automotive industry, and in particular, Motortec Automechanika Madrid, a reference fair for the sector and that "closed its last edition, with more than 60,000 professionals; more than 700 exhibiting companies and 1,300 brands, which formed a business meeting of high efficiency ".

The president of SERNAUTO, Maria Helena Antolin, thanked ABE for having chosen our country as a base within Europe for the celebration of this event that highlights the strengths of the Spanish component industry, a solid, innovative and competitive industry that is Present in more than 170 countries. As he stressed, "for decades, The Spanish automotive equipment and components industry is a world leader in terms of innovation, technology, experience and quality. Our companies offer a wide range of technologically advanced products with high safety and quality standards at competitive prices. "

The executive vice president of Anfac, Mario Armero, also spoke, explaining the vision of vehicle manufacturers who, together with suppliers, represent 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of our country. "With the transformation of the sector towards mobility and new associated services, we can aspire to more business volume and also reinforce the role of the industry in Spain".

For his part, Stéphane Castet, CEO of ABE, stressed that "Automotive Manufacturing Meetings Madrid is the first event of business meetings in Spain and strategic for the continuation of the series of events 'Automotive Meetings' of ABE In fact, our company already successfully organizes other events within the same format for the automotive industry in several countries (Mexico, USA, Colombia and Turkey) .We aim to continue developing the European market through AMM Madrid, positioning it as the reference event for the automotive industry in the European Union. "

AMM Madrid, he continues, "is committed to the transition of advanced manufacturing (industry 4.0, robotics, additive manufacturing and digital transformation). At the same time, it helps SMEs to identify new business opportunities and for large assemblers to develop new technologies and products. "

After their interventions, three round tables were held where experts from the automotive industry discussed topical topics such as innovation, Industry 4.0 or digital transformation, from an international perspective.

The permanent secretary of CEIB and CEOE of International CEOE, Narciso Casado, spoke at the XII Forum of the Private Sector of the Americas in Medellin, under the theme "Innovation from the private sector: driving development in the Americas", to talk about future of integration in the Americas. The conclusions of the Forum will be presented at the 49th Assembly of the OAS, as a substantive contribution of the private sector to the dialogue among the OAS Member States.

The forum brought together representatives of business organizations and leading business leaders in the region. He had as main topics of debate: the opportunities and challenges for the Americas before the IV Industrial Revolution; the future of integration in the Americas; innovation from the private sector, as a development tool; and smart energy in the Americas. The forum has been organized by the General Secretariat of the OAS together with the government of the Republic of Colombia and the support of the business organizations of Ibero-America and Spain.

The general director of CEOE International and permanent secretary of CEIB, Narciso Casado, took part in the panel: "The future of the integration of the Americas", in which opportunities for collaboration and public-private solutions were addressed to deal with the challenges of technological changes that disrupt integration, trade and production. Likewise, the role of business organizations in the integration processes of the Americas was discussed, as well as what can be achieved with public-private partnerships and the importance of the links between the European and American regions.

Role of business organizations

Casado stressed from Medellín that at a time like the present, characterized by the growing rivalry between large economic blocs, countries, especially South America, should make a greater effort to integrate their economies to boost trade and intraregional investments, facilitate the integration of the local productive fabric in global value chains and enable companies to acquire more scale and competitiveness. In this sense, it is striking, he pointed out, the contrast between the high degree of intraregional trade in North America and Central America, and the low level of South America, on the other hand.

This will not only imply, according to Casado, a tariff disarmament between the countries, but also the elimination of non-tariff barriers, the homologation of standards and the development of regional infrastructure projects that better market the region's markets. He also reported that business organizations and, in particular, the Council of Ibero-American Businessmen -CEIB-, represent the most appropriate instance to transfer to their respective governments the urgent need to promote regional integration, in order to increase the weight of the region in global trade and investments.

European and American region links

The permanent secretary of CEIB explained that being aware of the importance of America for Spain, CEOE has been a strong advocate within the European Union and BusinessEurope of the new Association Agreements signed with Central America and Cariforum, the Multipartite Agreement with Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, and the Free Trade Agreement with Canada. Likewise, "we support the modernization of the Association Agreements with Chile and Mexico, as well as the commercial agreement with MERCOSUR," he said.

If these three negotiations are successfully concluded, according to Casado, the European Union will have signed new generation agreements with all the American countries, with the exception of the United States, Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela. These agreements are also important for the improvement of access conditions for goods, services and investments on an equal footing with respect to companies on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition, he indicated, they establish common standards and rules, which contributes to the legal security and predictability that companies so much need to trade and invest. On the other hand, these agreements serve to establish an institutional framework that allows to settle the differences and adapt the agreement to new business needs. Finally, he said, they help foster regional integration in Central and South America, by setting a series of common rules between the Central American countries and several South American countries.

Public-private partnerships

"Business organizations in Ibero-America have never been as coordinated as they are today," said Narciso Casado. Proof of this is the role developed by the Ibero-American Business Council, CEIB, in collaboration with the Ibero-American General Secretariat, SEGIB. Casado also recalled the importance of belonging to the most important global business institution, the International Organization of Employers, OIE, which supports CEIB, and the more than 150 business organizations in the world integrated into the OIE.

He also referred to the prominent role played by business organizations of young entrepreneurs and the support that should be given to them. They are a fundamental piece in the development of future business vocations and in the defense of companies, he said, and mentioned as an example the Spanish Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs, CEAJE and Iberoamericana, FIJE, with which CEIB collaborates closely.

Regarding public-private partnerships, Casado emphasized that partnerships should be varied in nature and recalled that both CEIB and its organizations are suitable partners to develop projects and initiatives with companies, public administrations, universities, training centers and technological clusters, among others.

Casado also referred to three fundamental axes, the dialogue with governments, institutions and, above all, with union representatives, and recalled that social dialogue is the best infrastructure available to countries, training and the need to retain talent in the region. He highlighted the message from the Foreign Minister of Colombia at the inauguration of not "suffocating the private sector," support for multilateralism, in which the private sector is an essential factor, and intraregional trade that should be strengthened.

He also assured that in the current digital age, training is one of the areas where a greater effort should be made to facilitate the employability of workers throughout their working life. "Both CEIB and its member organizations can facilitate and promote agreements between companies and business organizations, governments, universities and training centers to develop digital training programs," he explained.

In this sense, Casado mentioned the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), promoted by the OIE, which aims to modernize the curricula to adapt them to the needs of the economy, eliminate barriers to the formation of public-private partnerships and develop global and national initiatives through of the national GAN ​​networks.

On the other hand, as a concrete example of public-private partnerships, he stressed that the Fundación Telefónica and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) have launched a training program of the Foundation, which offers free online modules and content, and aims to promote the digitization of workers from different productive sectors through 'Connect Employment'.

The creation of the Iberoamerican Arbitration Center, CIAR, supported by CEIB and its member organizations, is another clear example of collaboration that already works in Ibero-America, through a common instrument to resolve conflicts, economically accessible, with a language and close jurisdiction and in line with our social, political and economic environment.

In the area of ​​technologies and trade, it could be through specific transnational and national work groups (freight forwarders, technology companies, and law firms), working with the country's Authorities to improve customs processes, he concluded.

The Forum was inaugurated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Carlos Holmes Trujillo; the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro; the president of the Private Sector of the Americas, Eduardo Eurnekián; the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, and the governor of Antioquia, Luis Emilio Pérez. The day was closed by the President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván Duque, and the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro.

Bilateral meetings

Casado also participated in the 49th OAS General Assembly and met in Medellín with official authorities and business organizations in the country, and institutions such as the OECD (the Latin American and Caribbean Division), the Latin American Federation of Banks and the IDB , among others, to look for synergies and collaboration opportunities.

In addition to reporting the conclusions reached at the XXX Meeting of Presidents of Iberoamerican Business Organizations CEIB-OIE, which was held last week in Geneva, the CEOE CEOE International presented the activities developed by CEIB in the last year , both in Spain and in other countries of the Region, and informed of the preparatory work of the XIII Ibero-American Business Meeting, in which the Council has been working for months together with the Ibero-American General Secretariat-SEGIB, as the Forum of Mipymes the days July 2 and 3 in Buenos Aires or the Open Innovation Forum, to be held in autumn in Madrid. The next Summit will take place in November 2020 in Andorra and will have as its theme "innovation for sustainable development".

1. Do not enter to assess the internal contents of this file, since it is pending final resolution, being affected.

2. Regrets this new delay in the procedure, since, once again, An uncertainty is generated that harms the competitiveness of the sector, as well as the legal security of investors, traffickers and workers.

3. Considers that the Additional Provision of the IV Framework Agreement, through which the workers' subrogation clause was incorporated, is typically a labor matter, as has been repeatedly stated in case law, and is therefore not subject to European competition legislation and national, as recognized by the CJEU itself.

4. The only object pursued by signing the subrogation clause was to guarantee employment to workers who were part of the stowage sector before the entry into force of Royal Decree-Law 8/2017, in order to preserve labor stability in the ports.

5. Royal Decree-Law 9/2019 confirmed and clarified the legal coverage, as well as the typical labor nature, of the conventional subrogation clause in the stowage sector. The content and scope of the case contemplated in this law is identical to the agreed subrogation clause.

6. The question referred for a preliminary ruling before the CJEU is of doubtful admissibility, since the CNMC it is an administrative and not jurisdictional body.

7. He hopes that this file will be satisfactorily resolved, so that the sector continues on the path of growth, stability, competitiveness and efficiency.

8. The stowage management will continue working on the improvement of the port sector, by increasing its competence and competitiveness, from the dialogue with public administrations and trade union organizations, with the utmost respect for the current legality.

The chairman of the People's Committee of Tuyen Quang Province (Vietnam), Pham Minh Huan, today analyzed the business opportunities existing in the region, during a seminar at the headquarters of the Business Confederation, headed by the president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco The ambassador of Vietnam in Spain, Ngo Tiene Dung and numerous Spanish companies from different sectors with interests in the area participated in the meeting.

The president of the Popular Committee of the Tuyen Quang Province, Pham Minh Huan, said that Vietnam and Spain have had diplomatic relations for more than forty years and pointed out that there are many key areas in the province in which Spanish companies could collaborate, such as as industry, energy, tourism, education or infrastructure, among others.

The Vietnamese president praised the work of CEOE, collaborating with the institutions of the Asian country to promote and organize seminars, business meetings and joint activities, in order to encourage and enhance technological and industrial cooperation between the two countries. He also reported that the Government has launched programs to encourage investment in the area and create an attractive business climate for foreign investors.

Minh Huan presented the existing business opportunities in agriculture, where advice is needed for the transfer of technologies, for food processing, exploitation and distribution of the same. He also suggested joint collaboration on projects to protect and maintain forest biodiversity and water management and treatment. Finally, he spoke of the need for infrastructures in both urban and rural environments, to attract tourism and improve conditions.

The ambassador of Vietnam in Spain, Ngo Tiene Dung, has emphasized the signing of the two agreements on June 30 in Hanoi. On the one hand, the free trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam will be signed and, on the other hand, the agreement of Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments, which represents a great advance in the evolution of our bilateral relations.

The president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco, praised the signing of two agreements and undertook to disseminate the repercussions and benefits that both agreements will bring to the relations between both countries, as well as to inform of the business opportunities that may arise for the Spanish companies. Blanco explained that the signing of the agreement will lead to the elimination of 99% of Vietnam's export duties to the EU and 65% of EU export duties to Vietnam, committing to increase this figure in the next 10 years. , until reaching 99%.

The head of service of Asia, non-EU Europe and Oceania of the Secretary of State for Trade, Mar Serrano, mentioned to participants the financing instruments available for companies interested in investing in Vietnam. He highlighted, among them, the Fund for the Internationalization of Spanish Companies (FIEM); the aid of COFIDES (the Spanish Company of Financing for Development); and the credits of CESCE (Spanish Insurance Company of Export Credit).

The Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises, CEPYME, has signed a collaboration agreement with the digital marketing platform for SMEs, Adgoclick. The President of CEPYME, Gerardo Cuerva, and the CEO of Adgoclick, Álvaro Luca de Tena Lledó, have signed this agreement, with the aim of supporting Spanish SMEs in their digitization process. The agreement includes the participation of Adgoclick in various initiatives that CEPYME is carrying out, including the digital portal for SMEs and self-employed workers, CEPYMENEWS or the CEPYME500 and Invest in Cities programs.

With this collaboration, Adgoclick continues to strengthen its commitment to support small and medium-sized companies in innovation and promotion. In this same line and coinciding with the signing of the agreement, Adgoclick has launched a new contracting formula based on a flat rate for SMEs.

The President of CEPYME, Gerardo Cuerva, has indicated that with this agreement the Confederation goes a step further in the strategy of implementing services to support SMEs in strategic areas such as digitalization. "The SMEs – has indicated Gerardo Cuerva – are 99'8% per cent of the business fabric and support them in the processes of innovation and digitalization is to boost the competitiveness of these companies that, ultimately, is to boost the competitiveness of our economy" .

For the CEO of Adgoclick, Álvaro Luca de Tena Lledó, this is an important step in his work of supporting small entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs: "Given the fundamental role that SMEs play in our economy, we can not allow them to see phagocytosed by the big Internet operators. For this reason Adgoclick is born, to help entrepreneurs join the digitalization car easily and can remain competitive in the digital age. For this same reason, we join the initiatives undertaken by CEPYME to support SMEs, which we believe are essential for their development ".