Government supports continuity of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree-Law that strengthens the bases for Barcelona to remain as the world mobile capital for the period 2019-2023.

The Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, explained that his ministerial department, the Regional Government of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona jointly announced with the Mobile World Congress Foundation their intention to present a proposal to the consortium GSMA, which organises the event, to remain committed to Barcelona. By approving this law, the government ratifies the proposal for its renewal.

The Vice-President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, highlighted that at the latest edition, in February 2015, the Mobile World Congress hosted more than 93,000 visitors and more than 2,000 companies exhibited their products and services. "This thus showcases one of the best images of Spain in terms of its organisational capabilities", she said.

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría specified that revenue from the event in 2014 amounted to 397 million euros and 12,300 jobs were created. The total economic impact from this congress since it was first held in Barcelona in 2006 is estimated at some 2.5 billion euros. Forecasts for the coming years are even greater given the current prestige of this event.

José Manuel Soria added that the Royal Decree-Law passed on Friday "is a decision that is heading in the right direction in terms of consolidating Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain as one of the technological benchmarks at a European and international level each year".

Promoting alternative energy vehicles

Pool MoncloaThe government reviewed the Strategy to Promote Alternative Energy Vehicles (AEV) in Spain (2014-2020), which seeks to tackle the growth of this type of vehicle within the total fleet of vehicles in Spain and boost an industry tied both to their manufacture and to the manufacture of components. It is also a question of boosting an infrastructure network so that users of this type of vehicle have the facility to recharge them.

The strategy is the result of an inter-ministerial task force, with additional contributions from regional governments, local authorities and the main sector associations, and is focused on three main pillars: industrialisation, the market and infrastructure.

The Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism specified that in terms of industrialisation, specific lines will be established to boost the manufacture of alternative energy vehicles. In this regard, he clarified that there are six factories in Spain manufacturing hybrid and electric-powered vehicles, but the issue is "to extend the range to vehicles that are also powered by liquid petroleum gas, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, bio-fuels and hydrogen".

In market terms, the minister pointed to the need to stimulate the purchase of these vehicles and undertake campaigns to raise awareness as to the advantages of their use in achieving the energy efficiency targets set for the year 2020.

José Manuel Soria added that, as well as developing the infrastructure network throughout Spain, it is necessary to incentivise the renewal of public and private fleets with this type of vehicle.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Pool MoncloaThe Council of Ministers authorised the signing of the Articles of Agreement (AOA) of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The creation of this bank is an initiative proposed by the People's Republic of China with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of Asia focused on financing energy, transport and telecommunications infrastructures, as well as of projects for urban and rural development, and environmental conservation.

The Vice-President of the Government recalled that on 27 March 2015, the government agreed to open negotiations for Spain's accession to the AIIB as a founding partner. Spain is now proposing to sign the Articles of Agreement of the Bank and become one of the 20 non-regional founding countries. There are 37 founding States in the region.

According to Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, our membership "will give us the opportunity to hold greater sway in decision-making and in the projects to be financed", and will allow the sector of Spanish public works companies "to gain access to additional credit facilities that this bank can offer under favourable conditions".

Conflict of powers with the Regional Government of Catalonia

Pool MoncloaThe Vice-President of the Government reported that the government will lodge with the Constitutional Court a positive conflict of powers with the Regional Government of Catalonia in relation to the Decree setting up the Commissioner for National Transition, the Executive Plan for the Preparation of State Structures and the Strategic Infrastructure Plan.

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría argued that through this Decree, "the Regional Government of Catalonia is adopting positions for an eventual separation from the Spanish State by granting the Commissioner functions that correspond to the State in the region of Catalonia".

In her opinion, this law and all these actions that go hand-in-hand "breach the principle of national sovereignty that lies with the Spanish people as a whole, the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation, the subjection of all citizens and public powers to the Constitution and to the rest of the legal system, as well as the procedure to reform the Constitution".

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría alleged that the government will appeal against the creation of this body using the same arguments as it employed when appealing against certain rules contained in the Law on Fiscal, Financial and Administrative Measures of Catalonia on 12 June.

Current affairs

When asked about the date scheduled by the government to present the General State Budget for 2016, the Vice-President of the Government stressed that the "whole" government is meeting its obligation to work towards drafting this prior to 30 September, the deadline established by law. "We are now in a position to present the Budget when the President of the Government tells us to do so", she added.

Pool MoncloaSoraya Sáenz de Santamaría underlined that the "sustainability and appreciation" of the public pension system of social protection is guaranteed in our country. The government is determined, she stressed, "to pay them, maintain them and guarantee them" and working towards job creation is precisely what guarantees their sustainability.