Óscar López: "Spain is the proof that there is a European and pro-European third way that combines growth and welfare"

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, during his speech at the inaugural dinner of the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2025

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, this Sunday vindicated the Spanish model of fair digital transformation during his speech at the inaugural dinner of the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2025. "Spain is the European proof that there is a European and pro-European third way that combines growth and welfare," he said to the main authorities and business representatives of the world's technology sector gathered at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

"We live in times when some say that Europe is a museum and that the European project is an obstacle to competitiveness. They are wrong," said López, who pointed out that Spain is "the fastest growing country in the OECD and the eurozone." "We lead the European and world rankings in connectivity and digital skills, we have created half a million jobs in STEM professions in the last six years, we have one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world and the first quantum computer with 100% European technology." At the same time, "we raise the minimum wage and break employment records; in short, while reducing inequality."

The minister underlined the key role being played by the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT), a "fund of funds" with nearly 16 billion euros to finance high added value technological projects, which is already promoting strategic initiatives such as Imec's future research and production centre for semiconductors in Malaga, the increase in the production capacity of the Canary Islands company Wooptix, a leader in semiconductor metrology, or the commitment by Sensia, a Madrid-based company that leads in innovative solutions based on infrared technology. López stressed that the Government "firmly believes in public-private collaboration for major transformational projects" and invited companies and investors to commit to "a country with excellent logistical capacity, clean and affordable energy, extraordinary talent and unrivalled connectivity."

López concluded his speech by appealing to the "value of cooperation and multilateralism." "There are those who want to make digitalisation a battlefield, but Spain sees it as an opportunity for harmony. While some of us want artificial intelligence to help us better detect cancer or reduce production costs, others use it to spread hate speech and deepfakes that violate people's dignity," said the minister, who highlighted the value of European and Spanish regulations on digital governance in this regard.

Non official translation