Pedro Sánchez underlines that the Aerospace PERTE will mobilise more than 4.5 billion euros

INTA-NASA Training and Visitor Centre, Robledo de Chavela (Madrid)

The President of the Government of Spain closes the presentation of the Strategic Project for Aerospace Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE) | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

"Spain is one of the few countries capable of covering an aircraft's entire design and manufacturing cycle. And we are well on the way to covering the same cycle in the space domain," he said.

The Chief Executive presented the Aerospace PERTE at the INTA-NASA Training and Visitors Centre in Robledo de Chavela, where the signal for man's landing on the moon arrived 53 years ago. The event was attended by the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister for Science and Innovation, Diana Morant; the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education of the Government of the Portuguese Republic, Elvira Fortunato; and the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Paulo Alvim.

Pedro Sánchez during his visit to the INTA-NASA Training and Visitor Centre | Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Pedro Sánchez highlighted the role of the aerospace sector in our country, representing 1.2% of GDP, providing more than 150,000 direct and indirect jobs and investing more than 1.5 billion in R&D&I by 2020. Spain is the fourth largest space power in the European Union and, with 250 million euros, the fifth largest contributor to the European Space Agency.

The President of the Government announced that next Tuesday the Council of Ministers will approve the creation of the Space Council, a high-level inter-ministerial group that will be responsible for speeding up work to ensure that the Spanish Space Agency is operational at the beginning of next year. This agency, whose headquarters will be located outside Madrid, will assume responsibilities and leadership in telecommunications, transport and security and defence within the sector, and will contribute to strengthening social and territorial cohesion. Sánchez also announced that the Council of Ministers will approve the appointment of Miguel Bello as Commissioner for the Aerospace PERTE.

The Aerospace PERTE will have a major training component. The Chief Executive also stressed that public-private collaboration will be essential in this strategic project, with the private sector contributing more than half of the total investment. In his words, the PERTEs have a key role to play in the deployment of the Recovery Plan to modernise the Spanish economy. The eleven strategic projects already approved will have a public investment of 31 billion euros, of which nearly 12 billion euros have been mobilised in less than a year.

Immediate reduction of electricity prices

Pedro Sánchez arrives at the presentation event of the Aerospace PERTE | Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The President of the Government of Spain also stressed the European and cross-border ambition of the Aerospace PERTE, the first to include funding from another country's Recovery Plan, after Spain and Portugal agreed on a framework for cooperation in space matters last October, which will also serve to advance the reindustrialisation of both countries.

"This is not the first time that Spain and Portugal have joined forces. We also did it recently with the Iberian exception, which will be very positive for families and companies as a whole", the Chief Executive stressed. "Spain and Portugal always win when they work together. And, not only do we win, but Europeans win too, because I believe that the Iberian impetus suits Europe very well," he said.

The President of the Government has valued the importance of the cap on gas, whose approval by the European Commission is published today in the BOE, and whose aim is the lowering of the price of electricity "immediately". "It is about protecting families; it is about protecting businesses; it is about protecting us from the price hikes that we are experiencing today; but it is also about protecting us from future price hikes in the coming months if the conflict in Ukraine continues," he said.

Adoption of 140 legislative initiatives

Pedro Sánchez also highlighted the 140 legislative initiatives approved by his Government that contribute to tackling the ecological and digital transition, strengthening the welfare state and speeding up the impact of Recovery Plan investments.

He particularly highlighted the importance of the reform of the Science Law, which is now in the parliamentary debate phase and will provide research personnel with more resources, rights and stability, incorporating the commitment to bring public funding for R&D&I up to 1.25% of GDP by 2030. The Chief Executive has advocated that, with the support of the private sector, the figure should reach the level of 3% of GDP established by the European Union.

Non official translation