After the success of the first edition of the 'Digital Skills Awards Spain', AMETIC, the employers of the Spanish digital industry, has called for the second consecutive year the awards, which already have more than 50 applications submitted to date.

These awards, created in the framework of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition of the European Commission, identify, value and recognize the best projects and experiences in the field of the development of the enabling talent of the 4.0 industry, the digital transformation, the smart cities, 4.0 education and professional training in digital skills.

Since the launch of the call last April, the categories most requested to participate have been 'Digital competences in education', which reward the transformation of teaching and learning in digital skills, including teacher training, and 'Digital competences for the digital market', who value initiatives that allow all citizens to participate actively in the digital society.

This reflects a latent desire on the part of companies and institutions to promote digital skills and access to technology for the entire population.

The other existing categories are: 'Digital competences for all'(That allow all citizens to participate actively in the digital society); 'more and better ICT professionals trained (aimed at ICT professionals in all industrial sectors); 'Digital skills for Women and Girls' (to highlight the importance of closing the gender gap in digital skills); digital competencies for inclusion (which guarantee employment and social inclusion), and digital skills in Vocational Training (which promote the role of vocational training in the process of transforming the economy).

Specifically, the 'Digital Skills Awards Spain 2019', are aimed at educational centers, universities, media, companies and public and private institutions, which carry out training projects related to the development of digital talent and training in technological skills.

In total there will be seven awards and three honorable mentions for each category six, which will be delivered within the framework of the II Forum of the Alliance for the Development of Digital Talent, a first level event that will take place on June 12 at CaixaForum in Madrid. It is the reference professional meeting on digital transformation and talent that is organized in Spain.

In the event, where there will be inspiring sessions, work or discussion tables, will meet the top sectorial leaders, both business, political and administrative, as well as companies, business schools and universities. The participation of María Jesús Álava Reyes, chosen as one of the 'TOP 100 Women Leaders of Spain 2012 and 2017' and award for the best work of 'Dissemination of Psychology 2017' stands out.

With the aim of promoting a national ecosystem for the development and recognition of the enabling talent of digital transformation in Spain, AMETIC coordinates the Alliance for the Development of Digital Talent. The objective is to promote, educate and train in the new digital skills demanded by the ICT sector organizations and other sectors that are in the process of digitalization, and in general, Spanish society, under the new paradigm of digital transformation.

AMETIC extends the registration period

Given the good reception among the public, AMETIC has decided to extend the deadline for submitting applications to June 3. In order to participate, organizations must have a registered office in Spain; they can only submit one project for each category, and the initiatives have had to be developed in the last 12 months.

The deputy director of CEOE International, Álvaro Schweinfurth, participated last May 20 in the Internationalization Dialogues of ESADE to discuss international sanctions. The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Commercial Policy and Competitiveness of the State Secretariat of Commerce, José Luis Kaiser; the head of the Legal Services unit on behalf of the State of CESCE, Carolina Andérez; the president of the Exporters Club, Antonio Bonet and the managing partner of International Operations of Lupicicio International Law Firm, José María Viñals. During the discussion table, issues such as international sanctions were addressed, a complex scenario for the Spanish company that operates internationally; protection against the risks associated with this new panorama of international trade; the "Secondary sanctions"; and the sanctions for political-commercial war.

Opening

In the inaugural speech, the general director of Commercial Policy and Competitiveness, José Luis Kaiser, highlighted the high degree of internationalization of the Spanish economy, which, in 2018, stood between the total exports and imports of the country, at 66 , 7% of GDP, a figure that exceeds that of other countries in our environment, such as Italy, the United Kingdom and France, and that is an increase of 20 percentage points over 2009 and 9 percentage points, compared to with the historical maximum of opening to the outside reached in 2007. As additional data, it emphasized that the number of regular exporters reached the number of 51.769 companies in 2018, which represents an increase of 2.4% over the previous year. He also highlighted the strong investment activity of Spanish companies abroad that in the last four years reached 71,300 million euros, with priority being given to the OECD and EU countries.

He also stressed the existence of a changing environment in which, as main factors, the technological transformation, driven by digitalization, and the growing geopolitical tensions, which, in the latter case, have led to the proliferation of economic sanctions, have had an impact.

He explained that economic actions are used by the United Nations as a measure of pressure to combat terrorism or the production or possession of weapons of mass destruction. Its adoption requires the support of the majority of the members of the Security Council and the absence of a veto by its five permanent members.

He clarified that economic sanctions have, among its main objectives, to freeze assets and prevent economic transactions with public entities, private companies and individuals involved in activities that contravene the spirit of the United Nations.

He also indicated that the sanctions adopted by the European Union are divided into three categories: the transposition of United Nations sanctions, the transposition of United Nations sanctions reinforced by EU sanctions (complementary sanctions) and EU sanctions.

Subsequently, Schweinfurth spoke about the side effects of the sanctions applied by the United States to Cuba and Iran. He spoke, in the case of Cuba, about the Blockade Regulation, which aims to defend the assets of companies located on European soil against the execution of judgments issued by US courts under the Helms Burton Act, as well as allowing European companies bring lawsuits against European companies or individuals against the European courts for the prejudices they have caused to European companies. In relation to Iran, he mentioned the creation of the INSTEX financial vehicle, in order to facilitate the commercial transactions of European companies with Iran. However, it is an instrument that requires further development.

Discussion table

In his speech, Álvaro Schweinfurth said that in the current era, marked by growing geopolitical tensions, there is a proliferation of economic sanctions, which contrasts with periods of greater political stability in which this type of measures were approved in an exceptional way. He emphasized that, if before the sanctions were adopted with the greatest possible international support in the UN or at least through a consensus between the United States and the European Union, now some countries begin to adopt unilateral sanctions, which still generates more uncertainty among companies.

Regarding the extraterritorial effects of the economic sanctions adopted by the United States on Cuba and Iran, the level of protection of European companies varies greatly in both cases. Thus, while the Statute of Blockade can offer effective, albeit partial, protection to European companies against judicial actions by US courts; In the case of Iran, it is very different because of the different economic nature of the sanctions adopted by the United States against the Persian nation. In this case, the biggest problem that arises, according to Schweinfurth, is that the euro currency is not a currency of international transactions such as the US dollar, so he insisted on the need to convert the euro into a reference currency in the international transactions.

In the second part of his speech he summarized the role that CEOE plays in defense of Spanish interests. Thus, in the case of economic sanctions adopted by the EU to Iran and Russia, CEOE, like the rest of the BUSINESSEUROPE members, has focused its work on clarifying doubts that arise from the interpretation of EU regulations, disseminating the sanctioning regulations among its members and ensure that EU regulations are applied uniformly throughout the EU.

In the case of economic sanctions with extraterritorial effects, such as the Helms Burton Act, CEOE has deployed an intense activity before the Spanish and Community Authorities to guarantee an effective application of the Blockade Statute.

Finally, both CEOE and BUSINESSEUROPE insist that if governments consider the need to adopt economic sanctions, they should be applied respecting international legality and starting with the maximum agreement between governments.

The president of the Spanish Association of Banking, José María Roldán, and the director of the Junior Achievement Foundation, Blanca Narváez, have handed out the prizes to the volunteers of the 19 banks that have participated in the five editions of the financial education program 'Tus finanzas, tu futuro', whose contents have received more than 35,700 students from schools throughout Spain.

"Volunteers, bank employees, play a fundamental role in bringing financial education to the classroom. It is increasingly important to instill healthy financial habits and responsible consumer behavior in young people, who will be the adults of the future, "said José María Roldán.

Since its launch five years ago, more than 2,600 bank employees have participated in the financial education program 'Your finances, your future', an initiative of the Spanish Association of Banking and its Foundation, developed together with the Junior Foundation Achievement, aimed at students between 13 and 15 years old.

The general director of the Junior Achievement Foundation, Blanca Narváez, underlined that "through financial education, young people acquire not only knowledge, but also key skills and competences to face the financial challenges they will encounter throughout their lives, improving their opportunities personal and professional. "

Professor Ildefonso Méndez, from the University of Murcia, stressed that the evaluation confirms that the program improves students' personal skills and resources, such as the postponement of rewards and perseverance, but also their academic performance and their expectations to continue studying, especially among students from less favored homes.

The Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands (CAEB) announces the 'VIII Edition of CAEB Awards for Good Business Practices in Occupational Safety and Health' with the aim of "improving working conditions and the progressive reduction of occupational accidents", said the president of CAEB, Carmen Planas, who At the same time, he emphasized that "job security is a responsibility shared by companies, workers and also by the Administrations, which should promote a simpler legal framework adapted to the reality of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the vast majority of the companies that CAEB represents. "

Carmen Planas, who has had an impact on "This Eighth Edition of the awards is part of the actions we promote from CAEB to support companies in the promotion of occupational safety and health, especially to SMEs that are the most difficult to meet the complex and confusing legal framework.

Planas explained that "the objective of CAEB to convene these awards is to encourage and publicly recognize companies that demonstrate their commitment to occupational health and safety and disseminate examples of good practices, in order to extend its application among the business "

The president of CAEB has stressed that "it is also necessary to raise awareness among workers and the adoption of safe and healthy behaviors," stressing "the importance of the training offered to workers in occupational safety and health.

Two modalities: from 1 to 200 and more than 200 workers

This eighth edition of the awards, funded by the State Foundation for the Prevention of Occupational Risks, has two modalities. There will be a prize for companies with 1 to 200 workers and another for companies with more than 200 workers. Companies can compete freely with each one according to their number of workers.

The deadline for submitting applications will end on June 30, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Candidatures should be sent to the CAEB headquarters in Mallorca, (c / Aragó 215 2º 07008 Palma) or email prevencion@caeb.es.

The winners will receive a plaque and the distinctive stamp that they will be able to exhibit in their condition as the winner of this 'VIII Edition of the CAEB Awards for Good Business Practices in Occupational Safety and Health'. Companies can consult the bases of the announcement of the awards clicking here.