21 Strategic Country Initiatives for the Recovery and Transformation of the Spanish Economy
CEOE has presented this Thursday a catalog with ‘21 strategic country initiatives for the recovery and transformation of the Spanish economy ’, with the aim of contributing to the most efficient investment possible of the funds associated with the Next Generation EU European Recovery Plan. To do this, these proposals focus on the large projects that Spain needs to recover and transform its economy.
The presentation was made by the CEOE president, Antonio Garamendi; the vice president of CEOE and president of its Economic Commission, Íñigo Fernández de Mesa; and the head of the CEOE European Projects Office, Luis Socías.
More than 100 business groups and 60 sectoral and territorial business organizations have worked together, in an agile and highly participatory process, to make these 21 proposals available to the Government for their joint implementation in 2021.
In all cases, these are initiatives especially aimed at accelerating and consolidating the double ecological and digital transition, as well as the reindustrialization of the country.
In addition, in the configuration of the proposals, it has been considered a priority to respond to two fundamental aspects: on the one hand, speeding up recovery and transformation, through the capabilities of large Spanish companies and, on the other hand, traction and carry-over of funds to SMEs and the self-employed. In this way, Spain will achieve a high impact on economic growth and on the maintenance and generation of quality employment.
The catalog is also based on the priorities of the EU and the Government of Spain, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UN, through the 17 SDGs.
First of all, in the field of digital transition, proposals are launched related to tourism, the digitization of SMEs, the agri-food sector, health and clinical research, the media and means of payment.
Second, in the ecological transition axis, initiatives related to water are proposed; networks and renewable energies; sustainable mobility; the blue economy; the decarbonization of the industry; hydrogen; infrastructure and logistics; Spain as an aeronautical and multimodal hub; the circular economy; and the reform and comprehensive rehabilitation of buildings and urban regeneration.
Then in the axis of social and territorial cohesion, proposals are addressed in matters of cultural and creative industries; sport; demographic challenge and territorial competitiveness; vocational training; and bringing education closer to the world of business.
Finally, in the fourth pillar, a strategic country initiative related to business commitment to equality is proposed.
Each of these strategic initiatives includes different investment lines (in total, 114), which, in turn, are implemented through more than 400 specific projects, whose execution we understand must be carried out through the mechanisms that best fit for each of them: public-private collaboration, PERTES, consortia, public contract tenders or calls for grants.
In this way, with the presentation of this catalog of proposals, Spanish companies we ratify our commitment to Spain, always based on three unequivocal signs of identity: independence, sense of state and institutional loyalty.
Annexed.
List of CEOE's country strategic initiatives
Within the framework of digital transition, CEOE proposes the following investment initiatives:
1. Smart and competitive tourism value chain.
2. Digitization for a competitive SME.
3. Digital and sustainable transformation of the agri-food sector.
4. Health, data and clinical research.
5. Media for the challenges of the XXI century.
6. Digitization of means of payment and secure digital identity.
In the field of green transition, the initiatives proposed by CEOE are:
7. Transformation of the integral water cycle.
8. Smart grids and deployment of renewable energies.
9. Sustainable mobility.
10. Transformative and sustainable blue economy.
11. Connected and decarbonized industry and hydrogen.
12. Development of non-urban infrastructures, logistics capacities and transport.
13. Aeronautical hub and multimodality.
14. Circular economy and waste management.
15. Comprehensive reform and rehabilitation of buildings. Urban regeneration.
In the field of social and territorial cohesion, CEOE's proposals are:
16. Structure and promotion of cultural and creative industries.
17. Sports industry as an engine of economic and social development.
18. Demographic challenge, territorial cohesion and revitalization of the rural environment.
19. Transform FP.
20. Education, training and business.
To finish this catalog of strategic initiatives, CEOE proposes as project number 21 a business commitment to equality.
As a continuation of the first meeting of the Group with the General Director of Economic Diplomacy, on December 9 the second meeting of the Group was held with the General Director of Trade Policy, Juan Francisco Martínez García, and the General Director of International Trade and Investments, Mrs. Mari Paz Ramos Resa.
This meeting represented a great opportunity to learn more about Spanish Trade Policy with respect to our North American partner from the multilateral, European and national perspectives.
The president of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), Antonio Garamendi, highlighted this Wednesday that internationalization "is key to generating sustained and sustainable economic growth, productivity and quality employment" and to promote the way out of the crisis economic derived from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Antonio Garamendi has expressed himself in these terms during the IV Internationalization Summit, organized by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, CEOE, the Leading Spanish Brands Forum, the Spanish Exporters and Investors Club and the Spanish Association of Directors. This meeting has counted, among others, with the participation of King Felipe VI and the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto.
Antonio Garamendi has praised the "evident work" of the Crown abroad in favor of the Spanish company and has also appreciated the role of the Ministry of Industry to advance in internationalization. "When we go abroad, the most important thing is that Spain is at the top and we are proud of that", declared the CEOE president.
In his speech, he underlined the need to continue promoting training, digitization, investment in innovation and public-private collaboration. Likewise, it has called not to adopt fiscal measures that harm the business fabric, as well as to guarantee institutional trust and stability at all times ”.
The CEOE president spoke at a round table accompanied by the presidents of the Spanish Association of Directors, Juan Carlos Gallego; from the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, José Luis Bonet; the Spanish Exporters and Investors Club, Antonio Bonet, and the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands, Ignacio Osborne. Said panel has been moderated by the CEO of ICEX, María Peña.
Prestige of the Spanish company
For his part, the King has indicated that "these are being difficult times", although he has affirmed that "good public-private collaboration will allow the implementation of measures to preserve the Spanish productive fabric." Similarly, he has valued the "capacity for sacrifice" of Spanish entrepreneurs and freelancers, indicating that, abroad, "I see how they respect you and how difficult it is to build prestige in the face of sometimes relentless competition".
Previously, the Minister of Industry has defended that "excellence and openness are two attributes of the Spain Brand", and explained that "from the Government we are going to continue alongside companies to support their internationalization", because it is "key" to the recuperation.
The meeting also read the Joint Declaration of the Summit, which can be downloaded at this link. Meanwhile, Begoña Cristeto, partner in charge of Automotive, Industry and Chemistry at KPMG, has presented the main conclusions of the study "International expansion of Spanish companies: a new global scenario."
This work reveals that, despite the impact of the crisis, 77% of the managers surveyed are exploring new international opportunities after the outbreak of the pandemic. Consequently, international business (which respondents consider less impacted than domestic) will foreseeably gain a share in the turnover of national companies.
The President of the Nation, Alberto Fernández; its Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán; the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; the president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; and his counterpart from the UIA, Miguel Acevedo; among other authorities and representatives of the business world.
Antonio Garamendi: "We businessmen have the obligation to be optimistic to face the prompt and effective economic recovery that allows us to get out of the crisis."
The Argentine Industrial Union (UIA), member of the Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs (CEIB) and CEOE's counterpart, closed the 26th Industrial Conference yesterday, December 3, under the slogan: "# Producing Argentina: federal agenda for recovery and growth" . The President of the Nation, Alberto Fernández, took part in the closing of this event, which began on November 30; the Argentine Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán; the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; the president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; or his counterpart from the UIA, Miguel Acevedo; among other prominent authorities and representatives of the business world.
The meeting was divided into an opening session, in which Axel Kicillof, governor of the province of Buenos Aires; Martín Rappallini, president of the Union of Industrialists of the province of Buenos Aires (UIPBA); and Silvio Zurzolo, president of the Association of Industrialists of the Argentine capital (ADIBA); and in three panels that addressed the path to sustainable economic recovery, the future of work: challenges for the recovery of formal employment, and employers, workers and the State: a comprehensive strategy for the future of production and employment. The day was closed by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández; the president of the UIA, Miguel Acevedo; the president of the 26th Industrial Conference, Daniel Funes de Rioja; and the young president of this Conference, Agustina Schcolnik. The permanent secretary of CEIB and general director of CEOE Internacional, Narciso Casado, also participated in the event.
Collaboration in times of crisis
The President of the Nation, Alberto Fernández highlighted in the closing session that “We all collaborate, businessmen, workers and the State, and we managed to cope with the worst moment, and that guaranteed that no one was left without the medical attention they required. And now things started to take another direction, which is what we have been working for all this time. This is the moment".
In turn, the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, assured in a message via streaming that “Argentina is a partner highly appreciated by Germany, both in the G20 and bilaterally. The pandemic is hitting Argentina in a very tense economic situation, and it is very important to regain the trust of international creditors and market players ”.
Thematic panels
In the first thematic panel of the day, "Towards a path of sustainable economic recovery", the Minister of Economy of the Nation, Martín Guzmán and Diego Coatz, executive director and chief economist of the UIA, discussed the prospects for the short and long term for the country's economy. In this sense, Guzmán stated that “we want an Argentina that meets five conditions: that includes and generates work; that generates added value; that has stability; that has a development criteria with federal equity; and that sovereignty is respected. In this scheme, the industry is central ”.
Future of work in the face of economic recovery
The Conference continued with “The future of work: challenges for the recovery of formal employment”. The president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; Globant's co-founder and Director of Personnel, Martín Umarán; the head of the UIA Social Policy department, Laura Giménez; and the Secretary General of the Argentine Republic Construction Workers Union (UOCRA), Gerardo Martínez. The speakers spoke of the importance of an agenda to generate a labor ecosystem that provides answers to the dilemmas of formal employability, that allows the creation of jobs and that promotes work skills to improve the competitiveness of our economy.
The president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, emphasized the instruments to support companies that have been launched in Spain since the beginning of the pandemic, such as the Temporary Employment Regulation Files (ERTEs); ICO credits worth 100,000 million euros; and a fund managed by the State of 10 billion euros in case some companies had to be helped. Garamendi highlighted the importance of social dialogue in Spain for 40 years, as the best formula for the country's development; and he underlined "the important advances that have been made in the field of digitization, since we are the third country in the world with the most fiber optic deployed, only behind Japan and Korea." He positively valued teleworking for the future and highlighted the work carried out by the CEOE Foundation to cover the most social aspect of the pandemic (feeding the most disadvantaged, helping children in the field of computing in order to continue with their education or the donation of companies for protective equipment, among other projects). Garamendi also reported on the launch of a special office to manage the fund granted by the EU worth 140,000 million euros, to transform the country through star projects, which include such important areas as digitization, sustainability or the circular economy, among others. "Entrepreneurs have the obligation to be optimistic to face the prompt and effective economic recovery that allows us to get out of the crisis," he declared.
"Entrepreneurs, workers and the State: a comprehensive strategy for the future of production and employment" was the last thematic panel of the day. They participated in the same Claudio Moroni, Minister of Labor of the Nation; Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labor Organization (ILO); Héctor Daer, General Secretary of CGT; and Marysol Rodríguez, secretary of the UIA Joven. All of them highlighted the fundamental role of tripartite dialogue in resuming the path of growth and job creation.
You can consult more information in the UIA website; access the photos of the center at this link.
The permanent secretary of CEIB, Narciso Casado, closes the virtual Forum of Infrastructures LATAM II
The session was opened by the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan, the Secretary of State for Commerce, Xiana Méndez; the vice president of CEOE, Gerardo Cuerva; his counterpart from the CPC, Juan Sutil; and the general director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Inmaculada Riera.
The Chilean Minister, Andrés Allamand, presented the business opportunities derived from the constitutional process in the Andean country.
The Chilean Foreign Minister, Andrés Allamand, analyzed the future of business relations during a virtual bilateral meeting held from the CEOE headquarters. The Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan; the Secretary of State for Commerce, Xiana Méndez; the vice president of CEOE, Gerardo Cuerva; his counterpart from the CPC, Juan Sutil; the general director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Inmaculada Riera; and the ambassadors of both countries, Enrique Ojeda and Roberto Ampuero. The day served to learn first-hand the business opportunities derived from the constitutional process in the Andean country.
Constituent process in Chile
The Chilean Minister of Foreign Relations, Andrés Allamand, highlighted five main features of the constitutional process in the country when he said that it is a regulated process with rules, something fundamental for there to be a broad consensus; It has fixed terms, it will not be prolonged in time; the constituent convention has its competence well defined, which is to draft the constitutional text, but without interfering with other organs or powers of the State; However, the Convention will have a very broad autonomy to draft the document, but it will be clear that Chile must continue to be a democracy and a Republic, and respect all international treaties that are in force; and finally, there must be a special, majority and ultra-qualified quorum of the norms that are to be taken to a plebiscite, in order to achieve a broad political consensus.
Despite being a complex process, the Minister stressed, we must be optimistic. In addition, he added, Chile is a country with a very strong international vocation, which goes beyond trade and investments, based not only on the benefits that the country obtains from its opening to the world, but also on the contributions it makes to the same. In this sense, he mentioned that the Andean country has 43% of its exclusive economic zone under different forms of protection, it is intended to promote a green hydrogen diplomacy that will change the fuel landscape, there are large reserves of lithium for electromobility and The country is a leader in food security.
Andrés Allamand made a forecast of what to expect from the constituent process, and predicted that Chile will adopt a new course without abandoning its path of progress and the pillars that have contributed to it; He spoke of the incorporation of mechanisms that ensure greater inclusion and social cohesion; the adoption of international instruments to try to reduce the gap between leadership and citizenship; highlighted the will to continue being potential allies of Europe and commercial partners of Spain; and he announced that Chile will maintain its institutional capital and legal security abroad.
Bilateral relations
The vice president of CEOE and president of CEPYME, valued the ties between Chile and Spain, which are based on excellent business and institutional relations and strong historical and cultural ties, which have resulted in significant commercial growth in recent years. years, largely derived from increased investor confidence and involvement in the Chilean economy. And it is that, stressed Cuerva, among the factors most valued by Spanish companies are: transparency, legal certainty, good macroeconomic performance and their degree of openness to other markets. That is why, he continued, that Spanish companies are in Chile, not only to invest, but to stay, with a clear vocation of permanence and becoming part of the country's ecosystem.
In this sense, he highlighted how “from CEOE, CEPYME and the Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs-CEIB we are firm defenders of the opening of our economies to trade and investment. We also promote sustainable development, gender equality, the defense of legal security, training, social dialogue, digitization and innovation, among other very relevant aspects for our society ”, he stated. Principles all of them that, in turn, identify the Chile-Spain Business Council, whose Spanish chapter presides together with Andrés Montero on the Chilean side, and which was reactivated last June.
The president of CPC, Juan Sutil, underlined the opportunities that will arise for the Chilean institutions thanks to its constitutional process, and especially for Spanish companies, which have been strategic partners for years. "We are going to achieve a balanced, republican process, and with certain initial concerns that will be cleared over time." Sutil opted to follow in the footsteps of Europe to build a more just, inclusive, cohesive society with great legal certainty, which allows the country to build development and growth for the future with hope.
The Secretary of State for Commerce, Xiana Méndez, highlighted the solid bilateral relations between both countries and emphasized that this meeting shows “the great interest that Chile awakens for Spanish investors. In 2019, Spain was the second foreign investor in terms of stock. The horizon of Spanish investments in Chile is long-term and the flow of investments continues and will continue if possible with more force once the pandemic has been overcome ”.
He also underlined the contribution of Spanish companies to economic and social development in Chile since, "in the first nine months of this year, they have actively participated in public tenders and have been awarded 15 projects, worth more than 1,000 million euros, in industrial facilities, energy and hospitals ". In fact, he pointed to the great trajectory they have in renewable energy, a priority issue for both Spain and Chile, which has drawn up a National Green Hydrogen Strategy: “Both countries are promoting a more inclusive and sustainable development. In this area, the Spanish engineering companies established in Chile have extensive experience in renewable energy and green hydrogen projects that can contribute positively ”.
In her speech, the general director of the Spanish Chamber, Inmaculada Riera, referred to the strong ties that unite the economies of the two countries, with more than 600 Spanish companies present in that country. "In addition to the large service companies in key sectors such as banking, insurance, telephony, energy, water or infrastructure, there are many SMEs that have arrived and continue to arrive in recent years," said Riera who also referred to the growing interest of Chilean companies in Spain.
Inmaculada Riera also emphasized that “Spain has and feels with Chile a firm commitment that does not depend on conjunctures, but responds to deep affinities and is nourished by shared values and affection. It is a commitment for the present and for the future, since all the improvements for Chile will also be improvements for the Spanish business fabric ”, he concluded.
During the meeting, the Ibero-American Secretary General praised the value and principles that unite both countries, such as the firm defense of multilateralism in these turbulent times, the mutual commitment to international cooperation and the importance of open trade, but with rules that regulate it in an effective and beneficial way for all. In his speech, he also wanted to highlight the intense activity carried out by SEGIB and CEIB (Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs) during these months of the pandemic, to reinforce dialogue, consensus and public-private collaboration to overcome the crisis. He insisted that Chile is one of the good news that has emerged in Latin America during the crisis, for having known how to manage and channel the social unrest that occurred in the country.
The ambassadors of Spain in Chile, Enrique Ojeda and the Andean country in Spain, Roberto Ampuero, valued the excellent bilateral relations at all levels, and the boost they have received thanks to the reactivation of the Hispano-Chilean Business Council, since its reactivation last June. Likewise, they influenced the high level of understanding of both countries and their common defense for democracy, free trade, law and international cooperation. Finally, they were optimistic and reflected their full confidence in the constituent process that is going to be carried out in the country, and which will serve to reaffirm the strength of its institutional framework and the maturity of its citizens.
The Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) has incorporated BMW Group Spain as a new member, so that this leading company in the automotive industry will be able to participate in CEOE's working committees that address issues of interest to its field of activity.
The adhesion agreement has been signed by the CEOE president, Antonio Garamendi, and by the president of BMW Group Spain, Manuel Terroba. The incorporation as a new partner of the company of German origin and with 104 years of history will become effective as of January 1, 2021.
In the act of signing the incorporation agreement, Manuel Terroba has expressed his "satisfaction" with the fact that this company becomes a new member of CEOE and thus "continue to actively contribute to the development of the economy and society in Spain joining forces and focusing on the opportunities and challenges facing the Spanish business sector in the coming years ”.
For his part, the CEOE president stressed that it is "an honor to have such an important partner in our organization" as the BMW Group, which "is precisely one of the leading companies in the automotive sector, a great economic engine of the Spanish economy ”.
In addition, Antonio Garamendi has praised "the great experience and knowledge that BMW Group Spain will be able to contribute to the CEOE work committees in matters as relevant as sustainable mobility and the construction of smart cities, in which technological solutions increasingly play a role. more important role for the provision of different services to citizens ”.
The BMW Group, with its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce and BMW Motorrad, is the world's leading manufacturer of premium cars and motorcycles and also offers premium mobility and financial services. The BMW Group's production network includes 31 production and assembly sites in 15 countries and the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
Javier Íscar was unanimously elected as the new CIAR president; the president of CONFIEP, María Isabel León, new vice president of the institution and Ximena Gómez, as the new general secretary.
The event was opened by the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynpan; the president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; the outgoing president of CIAR, Luis Martí Mingarro; and the president of the General Council of Spanish Lawyers, Victoria Ortega.
CIAR approves the incorporation of ten new partners, among them the Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs-CEIB.
Authorities, deans, lawyers and representatives of business organizations and companies in Ibero-America participated on December 3 in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Assembly of the Ibero-American Arbitration Center (CIAR), in which internal issues of the Institution were addressed and said goodbye after a long history, the current president, Luis Martí Mingarro and the vice president, Rodrigo Oreamuno. The event was opened by the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynpan; the president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; the outgoing president of CIAR, Luis Martí Mingarro; and the president of the General Council of Spanish Lawyers, Victoria Ortega.
During the Assembly, Javier Íscar was unanimously elected as the new CIAR president, replacing Luis Martí, who promised to continue with the efforts made so far at the Center and showed his firm commitment to conflict resolution in Latin America; the president of the National Confederation of Private Business Institutions (CONFIEP, member of CEIB), María Isabel León, as the new vice president; and Ximena Gómez, a member of the Madrid Bar Association and also a member of Colombia, as the new general secretary of the Center.
In addition, as reported by Javier Íscar, the incorporation of ten new partners to CIAR was approved, among which it is worth highlighting the Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs-CEIB, represented at the Assembly by its permanent secretary, Narciso Casado, who was already part of the Center for Arbitration since its inception as a representative of CEOE. Íscar presented CEIB as an initiative supported by the OIE, to which the 24 most representative business organizations of the 21 Ibero-American countries, Spain, Andorra and Portugal belong; as an institution of great weight in the Ibero-American Summits of Heads of State of Government; and as an excellent platform for CIAR to reach numerous companies in the Region.
The president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, highlighted during the opening of the event, the work carried out by both Luis Martí and Javier Íscar for their firm commitment, determination and generosity towards Ibero-American companies, providing them with a tool: arbitration, quality, fast, economical, practical and professional, with which to resolve conflicts arising in the context of international trade and investment in which entrepreneurs are immersed. "All organizations share the same common goal: the idea of strengthening and spreading our legal culture throughout the Region," he declared.
Arbitration, assured the CEOE president, is a very welcome instrument by the private sector and also represents a very important support so that companies can continue to bet on the internationalization of their activities, by providing them with greater familiarity with the environment legal in which they move when they go abroad. Arbitration is also a common instrument, economically accessible, with a language and close jurisdiction and in line with our social, political and economic environment. In fact, he asserted, this tool is undoubtedly called upon to play a determining role in the near future.
The Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan, stressed that this is not just another assembly and praised the prestige and intense work carried out by Luis Martí on behalf of CIAR, always with conviction, commitment and affection for the Region. What was just a project, he stressed, became a reality with more than 60 linked institutions, and ten more partners are joining. Grynspan highlighted that Latin America is the product of shared experiences, of a common history and language, of commercial and cooperation relations, and of a joint culture, which also includes the legal field. However, many of the disputes and conflicts that occur in the Region continue to be resolved most of the time by outside entities. For this reason, he claimed, the role played by CIAR is so important, as it helps to resolve differences and disputes that arise in cross-border Ibero-American trade, between Ibero-Americans and for Ibero-Americans.
The outgoing president, Luis Martí, was proud of having made a reality what, at first seemed a very complex process, and that finally could see the light. "Latin America is a common illusion, to communicate and resolve better, always united", he stressed; And that is why CIAR is so important, since people will continue to trade and the industrial world will continue to grow; and the companies of the Region want their conflicts to be resolved in their language, closely, and based on common law. The work has been done between all of us, and it should continue to be that way, he said.
The president of the General Council of Spanish Lawyers, Victoria Ortega, explained that in 2018 this body offered to host the General Secretariat and become part of CIAR. Since then, he stressed, they have worked together to make Spain a world reference in promoting the culture of arbitration in Latin America. Ortega insisted that arbitration has proven to be a highly effective tool in alternative dispute resolution, and highlighted the decisive role of the legal profession by acting as a litigator in this arduous process. And that is why "arbitration is now stronger on both sides of the Atlantic, since it has managed to retain talent and surround itself with the best professionals, making CIAR an essentially Ibero-American arbitration institution," he concluded.
On December 3, the president of CEOE Internacional intervened in the OECD-MENA Working Group on Trade and Investments, as vice-president of the Trade Committee of Business at OECD and as co-president of the MENA-OECD Business Advisory Council.
The session focused on trends in value chains and regional economic integration for the recovery of the MENA region after the pandemic. Marta Blanco spoke in the first session about the impact of the health crisis on trade and investment in the Middle East and North Africa region. The panel was attended by the Director of the OECD Directorate for Agriculture and Trade, Marion Jensen, the Head of the Investment Division of the OECD Directorate for Financial Affairs and Business, Ana Novik, and the leader of the Committee on Industry and Commerce of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, Ashraf Bakry.
In her intervention, Marta Blanco emphasized the importance of avoiding protectionist tendencies and adopting a multilateral approach in responding to the health crisis. He insisted on the need to work on the coordination of policies at the international level, especially in relation to safe mobility, not only important for the tourism sector but for the restoration of economic activity as a whole. The director of the Directorate of Agriculture and Trade of the OECD, Marion Jensen, echoed this idea and took good note of the importance on the agenda of the private sector of international mobility.
Finally, Marta highlighted the importance of establishing a permanent dialogue between the public and private sectors, which ensures the efficiency and coordination of policies to respond to the pandemic.