Moncloa Palace, Madrid
Pool Moncloa
The Council of Ministers has analysed the draft bill establishing a comprehensive framework to protect the health of minors and promote responsible alcohol consumption in society. After receiving the mandatory reports and going through the public hearing process, the text will be definitively approved by the Government and sent to the Lower House of Parliament for its parliamentary processing.
The document responds to the recommendations of the 'Minors without alcohol' paper of the Joint Commission of the Upper and Lower Houses for the Study of Drug Problems, which was unanimously approved.
The Minister for Health, Mónica García, explained that "there is no amount of alcohol consumption that does not pose a risk; there is no such thing as a good dose of alcohol, and even less so for minors". She also pointed out that early alcohol consumption has been shown to have developmental consequences: "Alcohol is harmful to health and is detrimental to the neurodevelopment of our children. And what is scientific evidence, we at the Ministry of Health make law".
Keys to the future law on alcohol and minors
Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez
Mónica García underlined that the guiding principles of the future law are to protect the health and safety of minors, and to prevent consumption and the physical, psychological and social damage it causes. The law also aims to reduce access to alcohol, "stop trivialising underage drinking and contribute to a cultural change that comes from an educational orientation, not a punitive stance", she remarked.
The Minister for Health explained that this state regulation brings together scattered regulations that are being applied by the autonomous communities. Alcohol consumption is thereby prohibited for all persons in educational establishments and events for minors, awareness-raising measures are incorporated in the family, educational and socio-health fields, and communication and sponsorship are regulated.
García added that the text "does not focus on the kids themselves or on individual consumption", but on the environment. To this effect, the Executive urges local and regional administrations to promote healthy leisure for minors.
Inter-ministerial Committee to Reduce Childhood Obesity
In the health field, the Government has also agreed to set up the Interministerial Committee to combat childhood obesity in Spain. According to the minister, this body, in which 18 ministries will be represented, will be responsible for promoting and coordinating the National Plan for the Reduction of Childhood Obesity 2022-2030, which includes 200 measures to improve the health of children and adolescents.
Boosting the quality of vocational education and training
Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez
The Council of Ministers has approved the distribution to the autonomous communities of €25.7 billion to develop actions to strengthen the quality of the new Vocational Training system.
The Minister for Education, Vocational Training and Sport and Government Spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, has pointed out that for the Government, vocational training is a "priority project" that has undergone transformation and modernisation throughout the legislature. The public's social appreciation of this type of training has also improved, with more than 1,200,000 students in demand by the companies enrolled, said Alegría.
The funding approved today will be used to organise and hold regional, national, European and world championships in which the best students will take part. According to the minister, it will also promote placements for Spanish students and teachers in different vocational training centres and companies in Spain and abroad.
Spanish Productivity Council
Pool Moncloa / Jose Manuel Álvarez
The Minister for Economy, Trade and Enterprise, Carlos Cuerpo, informed that the Government has approved the creation of the Spanish Productivity Council, which will carry out reports and analyses to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the economy, thereby responding to the recommendations of the Council of the EU.
Cuerpo underlined that one of the main tasks of the council will be "to ground all theoretical analysis in the reality of the Spanish economy and our institutional and legal framework to make concrete analyses and proposals".
The minister detailed the structure of the body, which "will guarantee autonomy and independence in its functioning, with the possibility of planning and drawing up its own work plan".
Good economic data
At the start of the press conference following the Council of Ministers, the Government spokesperson referred to the data released today by the National Statistics Institute, which reflect the improvement in the competitiveness of our companies, the growth of the Spanish economy above that of the European economies and the continued moderation of inflation. Furthermore, Pilar Alegría pointed out that employment reflects historical figures, and the data are also positive in terms of exports and tourism: "This government is dedicated to what is important, to working to improve people's lives. The measures we are applying are working because we are seeing, on a daily basis, how Spain is growing, and growing strongly", she remarked.
Meanwhile, Carlos Cuerpo detailed these advance data on the National Accounts for the second quarter of 2024 and on inflation for the month of July. Inflation declined from 3.4% to 2.8% and core inflation moderated to 2.8%, thanks to lower electricity and food prices. The minister also stressed that households are regaining purchasing power and wages continue to rise above the evolution of prices.
The minister said that the economy is growing at a rate of close to 3% in year-on-year terms and is doing so in a balanced way with a positive contribution from the foreign sector. "This puts us in a very good position to meet our forecast of 2.4% annual growth by 2024," he said.
The Minister for Work also highlighted the good evolution of the labour market, which reflects the lowest youth unemployment rates since 2008. The total number of households with all members unemployed, he stressed, fell by more than 100,000 in the second quarter of the year. "We have balanced, sustainable growth, which is showing to be compatible with price moderation and with a good evolution of the foreign sector", he concluded.
Encouragement for Olympians
During her speech at the press conference, the spokesperson conveyed the Government's support and recognition to the athletes representing Spain at the Olympic Games in Paris, congratulating Fran Garrigós, who on Sunday won the bronze medal in judo in the -60 KG category.
Non official translation