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  • Trade | 7/15/2024

    The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business presents the 2023 National Domestic Trade Awards

    The State Secretary for Commerce, Amparo López Senovilla, presented these awards in Valencia, where she acknowledged the transformation and modernisation work being carried out by the trade sector. The 'Association of Merchants of the Historic Centre and Ensanche' of Valencia was awarded in the open shopping centre category; the ‘Dang Dang, SA-Indi & Cold' store from San Sebastián was awarded in the small business category; and the Madrid City Hall was awarded in the National Award for City Hall category Domestic trade in Spain accounts for 13% of GDP and employs more than three million people. Moreover, the State Secretary for Trade has visited the Port of Valencia, a logistics centre and of national and international importance, and has held a meeting with Valencian companies to highlight the benefits of entering international markets. The Generalitat Valenciana exported more than 38 billion euros worth in 2023, representing 10% of total national exports..

  • Trade | 7/12/2024

    Cesce secures financing of 31 million euros from Banco Santander, EBN and ICO for PLD Space's MIURA 5 rocket

    Banco Santander and EBN Banco act as co-lead banks of this syndicated loan, in which the Instituto de Crédito Oficial [Official Credit Institute] (ICO) also takes part. This action is part of the PERTE Aerospace programme, within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The operation is covered under Cesce's Strategic Investment Policy and has legal advice from Deloitte and Watson Farley & Williams. The funds will go towards PLD Space's MIURA 5 space launching programme, as well as to expanding the company's industrial capabilities and its corporate expansion.

  • Trade | 7/8/2024

    The Government shows its support for the pork sector and defends its interests in international markets

    The State Secretary for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, met with the different associations today that represent the pork sector and industry in Spain Spain is the European Union's main exporter of pork products, with 7.5 billion euros in 2023 Moreover, the European Union is the world's largest exporter of pork and pork by-products. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business has addressed with the sector the investigation that China has opened to review imported pork products from the European Union and has committed to continue working in defence of Spanish interests through the Commission European Spain defends Spanish companies competing on equal terms with other countries and in a balanced manner, within the framework of the World Trade Organisation.

  • Trade | 7/1/2024

    The EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement takes effect

    The agreement will create trading opportunities for Spanish companies in the African continent and includes leading commitments regarding sustainability.

  • Trade | 6/28/2024

    Spain is committed to expanding the presence of Spanish companies in Australia

    The State Secretariat for Trade has participated in the Business Meeting on the occasion of the visit of the European-Australian Business Council to Spain

  • Trade | 6/25/2024

    The Council of Ministers appoints Julián Conthe Yoldi, Director-General for Trade Policy at the State Secretariat for Commerce

    He has experience in international trade, both in the Spanish Government and the European Union. He is part of the State Trade Professionals and Economists Senior Corps since 2010. To date, Conthe has carried out functions linked to the European Funds in the Ministry of Finance and Public Service

  • Fundación Diversidad

    Trade | 6/20/2024

    The State Secretariat for Trade and COFIDES show their commitment to the Diversity Charter

    Fundación Diversidad and COFIDES successfully celebrate the “Diversity, equality and inclusion in companies and public institutions'’ conference

  • Trade | 6/17/2024

    Spanish exports grow by 15.8% year on year in April 2024 to 33,990 million euros, a historical best for the month

    Foreign trade in Spain shows greater dynamism than the main economies in our environment: Our exports grew above those of our main partners in April, partners such as Germany or France, and even above other exporting powers such as the United States, Japan and China. In April, top levels for the month were achieved in food, beverages and tobacco, capital goods, automobile sector, consumer manufacturing and durable consumer goods sectors. The trade surplus with the European Union increased to 2,888.6 million euros and has remained uninterrupted since January 2017. Exports to the European Union-27 increased by 13.6% year on year and to non-EU destinations by 19.8%. Exports reached record figures for the month for 18 of the community destinations, including the four main clients worldwide (France, Germany, Italy and Portugal) as well as in the four main non-EU clients (United Kingdom, United States, Morocco and Turkey). Concerning the accumulated amount of the year, goods exports reached 127,420 million euros, the second best figure in the historical series for the first four months of the year. The number of regular exporters grew by 4.8% in the January-April 2024 period to 40,828 exporters.

  • Trade | 6/13/2024

    Spain and Turkey intensify their trade relations and mobilise joint investment

    Within the framework of this meeting, a Business Meeting was held with more than 300 companies in attendance, and five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed to boost and strengthen bilateral relations, three of them being from ICEX, COFIDES and CESCE.

  • Trade | 6/11/2024

    Presentation of the 10th edition of the White Paper on Spanish Video Game Development

    The Secretary of State for Trade has addressed the programmes implemented by ICEX-Invest in Spainto foster the growth of the audiovisual Spanish audiovisual and video game industry

  • Trade | 6/10/2024

    Spain strengthens its commercial ties with Cambodia and is promoting new opportunities for business collaboration

    The State Secretariat for Trade has organised this forum together with ICEX, the Chamber of Commerce and CEOE to strengthen commercial and business relations between the two countries.

  • Trade | 6/3/2024

    Spain strengthens trade relations with China and promotes the presence of Spanish companies in the Asian country

    The Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, together with the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, have chaired the 29th Spanish-Chinese Mixed Economic and Industrial Commission, in which the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, has also participated . Both countries have committed to the creation of a permanent Cooperation and Dialogue Mechanism in trade and investment matters to address opportunities and resolve problems and barriers faced by companies from both countries. A meeting was held with a wide representation of Spanish companies from various sectors to highlight their activity and promote new business opportunities in the Chinese market. The Government of Spain has highlighted the need to continue advancing its relations with China through a commercial and investment approach.

  • Trade | 5/31/2024

    Spain reaffirms its commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean within the framework of the European 'Global Gateway' program

    The Secretary of State for Commerce has organized a work day to explain this initiative of the European Union and bring Spanish companies closer to the opportunities it offers in the Latin American region. The Global Gateway Strategy will mobilize an investment of up to 300 billion euros until 2027 in projects linked to the digital, climate and energy, transportation, education and research, and health sectors.

  • Trade | 5/22/2024

    Spain boosts its business and trade relations with Colombia

    The Secretary of State for Trade has accompanied the Minister of Economy, Trade and Business on his visit to the Andean country in order strengthen commercial ties, as well as supporting the Spanish companies present. Spain establishes itself as the second largest foreign investor in the country

  • Trade | 5/20/2024

    Spanish exports reach 93,430 million euros in the first quarter of the year, the second best figure in the historical series

    In March 2024, the trade balance registered a deficit of 2,026.2 million euros, the best figure in the last 30 months, with the exception of March 2023. The non-energy component of the trade balance increases its surplus from 32 million euros last February to 444.4 million euros in March, the highest value in the last 11 months. In the first quarter of the year, the trade surplus with the European Union reached 7,710.8 million euros and 8,341.1 million euros with the euro zone. This surplus has been maintained uninterruptedly with our trading partners since 2016 and 2017, respectively. Exports reached 31,450 million euros in March, the third best figure in the historical series for the third month of the year and in line with the average of the last five years. In March, exports reached record figures for some important markets such as Turkey, Mexico and India, which proves greater market diversification.

  • Trade | 5/17/2024

    Cesce reaches a net profit of 59 million euros in 2023

    The insurance company has had fifteen consecutive years of profits and the State account has been in surplus for 28 years, according to the data presented at its General Shareholders' Meeting. Once again, Cesce has proven to be the most solvent insurer among the main Spanish and European companies in the credit and surety insurance industry.

  • Trade | 5/16/2024

    Cesce receives TXF's award for the best Export Credit Agency (ECA) in the world

    The award recognizes the Spanish ECA for the performance of its activity on behalf of the State to cover the risks associated with the operations that Spanish companies carry out abroad. The State account managed by Cesce covers political, extraordinary and non-marketable risks of our internationalized companies, with the support of the Internationalization Risk Reserve Fund (FRRI), which is attached to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.

  • Trade | 5/14/2024

    The Council of Ministers appoints Amparo López Senovilla, Secretary of State for Commerce and Aida Fernández, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business

    López Senovilla takes over from Xiana Méndez after six years as Secretary of State.

  • Trade | 5/3/2024

    Spain defends open, more inclusive, sustainable and rules-based global trade

    Within the framework of this meeting, the Secretary of State for Commerce participates in several debate tables to address the promotion of free trade and market diversification for greater economic resilience Spain supports trade policies that promote inclusion and harness the potential of women to drive economic growth

  • Trade | 5/1/2024

    EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement enters into vigour

    The agreement will create trading opportunities for spanish companies in the region and includes commitments indo-pacífico pointers in the area of sustainability.

  • Women and Internationalization | 4/23/2024

    ICEX celebrates the second edition of ¡SAL! to promote internationalization in women's

    The day aims to facilitate the creation of a community so that women who lead companies can support themselves in the field of internationalization The common thread of the activities of this second edition has been the use of new technologies

  • Trade | 4/23/2024

    The Council of the International Cocoa Organization holds its 5th World Conference in Brussels

    Cocoa reaches record prices at a time of shortage. The forthcoming entry into force of the EU regulation on deforestation and due responsibility for the environment and human rights requires due diligence from all operators bringing cocoa and other commodities into the EU, such as palm oil, cattle, timber, coffee, rubber and soybeans.

  • Trade | 4/23/2024

    The Synthetic Indicator of Export Activity (ISAE) grows for the second consecutive quarter and reaches its highest value since the first quarter of 2022.

    There's an anticipated positive trend in the order book, along with a slight upward trajectory in export prices Perception regarding hiring personnel has improved

  • Trade | 4/19/2024

    The trade deficit was reduced by 5.3% in the first two months of 2024 due to the improvement in the balance of energy and non-energy goods.

    The non-energy deficit decreased by 17.3%, reaching 435.6 million euros in the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2023, while the energy deficit decreased by 4.3%, to 5.643 billion euros, compared to the deficit of 5.894 billion euros in the same period of the previous year. This improvement in the trade balance is further explained by the significant reduction in the trade deficit with non-EU countries, which decreased by almost 19.9% to 11.221 billion euros. The trade balance with the European Union continues to be in surplus in the first two months of the year, reaching 5.1421 billion euros. Spanish exports reached nearly 62 billion euros in the first two months of 2024, the second-best figure in the historical series. In February 2024, exports achieved record numbers for the month in many of our main markets, such as France, Germany, Portugal, or Poland, and outside the European Union in the United Kingdom, Turkey, or Mexico. The number of regular exporters grew by 5% year-on-year in the January-February period of 2024, and their exports accounted for 95.9% of the total. Looking at the monthly data, the trade deficit reduced by 4.7% in February to 2.350 billion euros, while the non-energy balance showed a surplus of 32.7 million euros. The automotive, food, beverages, and tobacco sectors, as well as durable consumer goods, consumer manufactures, and capital goods, experienced the highest growth, also reaching historical export highs for the month.

  • Trade | 4/18/2024

    Spain and the netherlands are strengthening their trade and energy partnerships

    The secretary of state for trade accompanies SS.MM. los Reyes in his visit to the netherlands to strengthen the commercial ties and cooperation in respect of green energy and new technologies In the framework of this visit, the secretariat of state for trade, through ICEX Spain export and investment and in collaboration with the spanish chamber of commerce and CEOE, have organized a meeting to discuss business opportunities in the areas of cybersecurity and technological finance

  • Trade | 4/16/2024

    The Government is promoting the attraction of foreign investment in Spanish companies through the FOCO Co-Investment Fund, endowed with 2 billion euros

    The Council of Ministers has approved the agreement regulating the development of the activity and functioning conditions of the Co-Investment Fund (FOCO) The objective of this Fund is to attract foreign investment and to foster productive modernisation, sustainable growth and the ecological and digital transition of the Spanish economy. The Co-Investment Fund (FOCO) is one of the new financial instruments included in the latest Addendum to the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, endowed with 2 billion euros until 2026 and whose management has been entrusted to COFIDES The Fund will mainly make capital investments in private companies that undertake investment projects in national territory. FOCO investments will always be made jointly with a foreign co-investor, which can be both public financial institutions and foreign private institutional investors.

  • Trade | 3/20/2024

    Foreign investment in Spain reached 28.22 billion euros in 2023, reaching the average of the last five years

    Foreign investment in Spain aimed at enhancing productive capacities and employment has grown by 12 per cent compared to 2022, at 5.68 billion of euros The sectors that received the most investment were wholesale trade, telecommunications, electricity and fuel. In regard to countries, the United States was the first issuer of investment flows to Spain (28.9%), followed by the United Kingdom (13.1 per cent), Germany (10.6 per cent) and France (9.2 per cent). Investments from other countries, such as Australia, Switzerland, Canada and Mexico, increased in importance, therefore demonstrating the diversification of confidence in the Spanish economy. Spain is incredibly attractive for international investors, consolidating an investment attraction of around 30 billion euros annually, compared to 20 billion euros 10 years ago, in 2014.

  • Trade | 3/15/2024

    VI meeting on Foreign Trade

    Stresses the resilience of the external sector of Spain at a time of international incetidumbre and geopolitical tensions

  • Trade | 3/11/2024

    Spain strengthens its commercial and business alliances with Brazil and Chile

    The President of the Government of Spain has undertaken an official visit to these two countries to reinforce commercial ties and investments with Latin America. The Minister of Economy, Trade, and Business, and the State Secretariat for Trade have accompanied them on this visit along with a delegation of Spanish companies to explore new business opportunities.

  • Trade | 3/8/2024

    Commerce launches an explanatory guide for the presentation of foreign investment declarations

    It gathers the latest developments introduced after Royal Decree 571/2023 on foreign investments and the recent ministerial order ECM/57/2024 that regulates the application procedures

  • Trade | 3/7/2024

    Collaboration with Ukraine: technical seminar on the railway sector

    Bilateral collaboration between the two countries is strengthened in the railway sector with the participation of leading companies and entities of the sector.

  • Trade | 3/6/2024

    The thirteenth Ministerial conference of the WTO concludes with progress on investment, trade in services and e-mail

    The commitment to re-establish a fully functioning dispute settlement system by the end of 2024 is reaffirmed. The "e-commerce moratorium" is renewed, keeping international digital transactions tariff-free until the next Ministerial Conference. The Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement is finalized and the use of "special and differential treatment" provisions by developing countries is enhanced. The entry into force of the Joint Initiative on Domestic Regulation, which will facilitate international trade in services, is welcomed.

  • Trade | 3/4/2024

    The Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business announces the launch of two ICEX programs to promote the participation of women in the internationalization of the economy

    The minister has announced the new program 'Internationalizing Women' that will offer detailed information on norms, uses and customs, by markets and countries with a gender perspective, to facilitate the presence of women in new markets Carlos Cuerpo has pointed out the launch of a second edition of DESAFÍA to promote entrepreneurship among women, with an immersion program for start-ups in the most important entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world

  • Trade | 3/4/2024

    Foreign companies established in Spain foresee a positive evolution of their investments, sales, employment and exports in 2024.

    88% of these companies estimate that their investments will continue or increase this year, despite the complex international context. Foreign investors are particularly positive about Spain's infrastructure, market size, human capital, quality of life and labor market.

  • Trade | 2/21/2024

    The Secretary of State for Trade presents the awards of the sixth Technological Ideas Contest for retail trade

    These awards aim to distinguish those projects that include innovative and technology-based solutions to boost retail commercial activity. In the last edition, 19 technological ideas have been recognized for improving the shopping experience and the sustainability of proximity trade through artificial intelligence and digital tools.

  • Trade | 2/19/2024

    Spanish merchandise exports reach 383.7 billion euros, the second best year in the historical series and the trade deficit is reduced by more than 40% in 2023.

    The merchandise trade deficit is reduced by some 31 billion euros in 2023, based on the maintenance of non-energy exports and the fall in energy imports, in particular gas In 2023 the Spanish foreign sector has reached the second best export data of the historical series, with a slight fall of 1.4% (-5.5 billion €) compared to the historical peak of last year In a context of international uncertainty, Spanish exports have shown robustness and resilience, with a softer fall than the EU27 (-2.5%) and the euro area (-3.3%) Non-energy exports have increased by 0.7% (+2.5 billion euros), partially compensating for the fall in the energy segment, of 20.6% (-7.9 billion) Compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019), exports grew by 32.3% In the last year, exports to many of our major European markets, as Germany, Italy or Poland have reached record figures, despite the economic slowdown of the European Union in 2023. Exports to other markets such as the United Kingdom, Morocco and Turkey have also set a record Historical highs are reached in the export of food, automobiles and non-chemical semi-manufactures Also highlights the weight of exports of high-tech goods (10.9% of the total) and medium-high (41.9%) The agri-food sector has the largest trade surplus of the balance, 14.1 billion euros in 2023, growing 13%, reflecting its strength and competitiveness The number of regular exporters grows by 1,7% in the last year, accumulating an increase of 27% since 2010, standing at about 44,000 Spanish exporting companies in 2023

  • Trade | 2/16/2024

    Government launches 'Connected Commerce' platform to boost digital transformation and retail competitiveness

    The initiative offers training, communities and resources to promote the digital transformation of the retail sector, which constitutes about 5% of the GDP of the Spanish economy, with more than 1.9 million members of the Social Security 'Connected Commerce' offers tools to help businesses adapt digitization and green transition and collects the aid and subsidies offered to the sector from the different administrations The platform will also stimulate the creation of a national collaboration network between entities, retail administrations and individuals With the launch of this platform, the Government strengthens its support to local trade so that it can face the challenges generated by new consumer habits, the new sales channels and the green transition The Government has allocated €415 million of European Recovery Plan funds over the last three years to support improving the competitiveness of business, through three market support lines and the Technology Fund

  • Women and Internationalization | 2/6/2024

    Trade celebrates the 5th meeting of the 'Women and Internationalization' Working Group

    An assessment has been made of the progress made during the five years of the group's activity and the initiatives to continue promoting gender equality in international trade activity.

  • Trade | 2/6/2024

    Trade addresses the priorities of the EU trade policy to promote the economic security of the EU

    The Secretary of State for Trade chaired this Commission to explain the main lines of work for the current year.

  • Trade | 2/2/2024

    The government renews its commitment to the Canary Islands to promote the internationalization of its economy.

    The central and Canary Island governments have held the third meeting of the Advisory Board for the Strategic and Commercial Promotion of the Canary Islands (CAPECC). The CAPECC's main objective is to promote the Canary Islands' foreign trade and attract foreign investment to the archipelago. The State Secretariat for Trade and the Canary Islands Department of Economy recently renewed the annual agreement to promote the internationalization of the Canary Islands' economy, endowed with €500,000. The volume of goods exports from the Canary Islands in the period from January to November 2023 reached €2.125 billion, with the European Union and Africa standing out as the main target markets.

  • Trade | 1/23/2024

    Spain supports a resilient European trade policy open to multilateralism in order to face the current international context.

    EU trade ministers met in Brussels to discuss the priorities of European trade policy in the current international environment, with the aim of having greater strategic autonomy, as well as promoting the diversification of global value chains. Spain advocates a definitive push to close pending EU trade agreements such as those with Mercosur and Mexico in order to achieve greater diversification, to reinforce security of supply and to open up new markets for Spanish companies. The current state of the Red Sea crisis has been analysed and possible impacts on international trade are being monitored. Spain considers that one of the priorities for the forthcoming 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is to promote the reform of this organisation in order to establish the rules of the international trade game based on clear and fair rules.

  • Trade | 1/22/2024

    Secretary of State for Trade meets Minister-President of Lower Saxony

    The trade balance between Spain and Lower Saxony in the year 2022 was 1,327 million euros Spain's trade balance with Lower Saxony in 2022 was 1,327 million euros

  • Trade | 1/18/2024

    Spanish exports maintain their dynamism and exceed 354.7 billion euros by November 2023, the second best figure in the last decade

    In a context of international uncertainty, foreign trade in goods is evolving better than that of the main European economies, reflecting the competitiveness of Spanish companies and their strong positioning in international markets. Compared with pre-pandemic levels (2019), exports in the cumulative figure up to November are up 32.6% and imports are up 31.8%. The trade deficit was reduced by nearly 42% from January to November 2023, and fell to €37.158 billion, €26 billion less than in the same period in 2022. The trade deficit is down by nearly 42% from January to November 2023 and fell to €37.158 billion, €26 billion less than in the same period in 2022. In the January-November 2023 period, exports to many of our main markets, such as Germany, France and Italy, have reached record figures, as have exports to other markets such as the United Kingdom, Morocco and Turkey. The automotive, capital goods and food, beverages and tobacco sectors were those that contributed most to the annual rate of change of exports in the first eleven months of 2023, reaching a historic volume of exports. In November, the non-energy balance showed a surplus of 137 million euros.

  • Trade | 1/11/2024

    The Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise highlights the strength of the Spanish economy and the attractiveness of our country for foreign investment.

    Carlos Cuerpo stresses the dynamism of the labour market and the robustness of the foreign sector as two key levers for a more balanced and dynamic economy, that will in turn generate confidence in international markets. The minister highlighted the important role of the Recovery Plan for the evolution of the Spanish economy and the optimal implementation of these European funds for the transformation of the country. The government has launched a co-investment fund (FOCO) to attract foreign investment, in order to promote projects linked to the transformation of Spain's productive structure, which will be endowed with 2,000 million euros. The Secretary of State for Trade closed the 'Spain Investors Day' forum, where she explained how foreign investment in Spain has been a key element in driving the modernisation of the economy and the generation of employment. Spain ranks 13th in the world ranking of countries with the highest stock of inward foreign investment, and there are almost 20,000 foreign companies established in Spain across all sectors.

  • Trade | 12/27/2023

    The Government earmarks nearly 2 million euros to boost commercial activity in Ceuta and Melilla

    The Council of Ministers has today approved the award of a 950,000 euro grant to each of the regional cities to create programmes to boost the commercial sector. This aid will improve the competitiveness of trade in Ceuta and Melilla, generate quality employment and boost urban development. In Ceuta, discount voucher programmes will be implemented in commercial establishments to encourage consumer and tourist purchases. In Melilla, aid will be distributed to SMEs and the self-employed to help transformation at the point of sale.

  • Trade | 12/27/2023

    The government launches the creation of a new fund with 2 billion euros to attract foreign investment in Spain in strategic sectors

    The Joint Investment Fund (FOCO) will promote projects that promote the transformation of the Spanish production model, such as those linked to green energy, digital transformation, sustainable mobility, biotechnology and sustainable agriculture The Joint Investment Fund (FOCO) is one of the new financial instruments included in the Addendum to the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, whose management has been entrusted to the public company COFIDES In addition, the government reinforces aid to small and medium-sized enterprises for their internationalisation with the extension of 100 million euros more for SMEs and small export and investment projects under the Fund for the Corporate Internationalisation Fund (FIEM) Three operations have also been approved under the FIEM for projects of great interest for the internationalisation of the Spanish economy, two of them in Africa, which will boost Spanish presence and investment in this continent

  • Trade | 12/20/2023

    Foreign investment in Spain amounted to €21.232 B in the first nine months of 2023

    In the third quarter, investment increased by 54% compared to the previous quarter. Total foreign investment grew by more than 6.9% relative to the 2018-2022 average. The sectors with the highest investment were services, industry and construction. Spain is the fifth country in the world that has received the most new Foreign Direct Investment projects in the world in the January-October 2023 period.

  • Trade | 12/19/2023

    The European Union has suspended duties on US products until March 2025

    The length of the suspension is good news for EU and US producers and consumers. It is expected to come into force on 1 January 2024. The EU should continue to seek the permanent elimination of US duties on European steel and aluminium.

  • Trade | 12/12/2023

    The retail industry gains dynamism and sales increase 6.5% through October 2023

    Retail sales at constant prices increased by 4.5% year on year in October 2023. The number of contributors to Social Security in the retail industry reached 1,917,989 in November,  a historic high for this month. The retail trade sector is an important source of employment for women; 62.9 % of workers are women. All retail industry indices have improved: sales, employment and confidence indicators.

  • Trade | 11/22/2023

    Council and European Parliament approve regulation to protect EU from economic coercion by third countries and extension of trade preferences for developing countries

    Two important legislative acts in the field of common commercial policy are signed in Strasbourg.

  • Trade | 11/20/2023

    Trade rewards the Spanish business sector's effort and innovation in its digital transformation

    Xiana Méndez handed out these awards which recognise technological solutions driven by the retail sector to improve its competitiveness

  • Trade | 11/17/2023

    Spanish exports as of September exceed €287.5 B

    The trade deficit was reduced to €29.596 billion in the January-September period. The sectors which contributed positively to the year-on-year growth rate for exports from January to September 2023 were the automotive, equipment and food, drink and tobacco industries. The autonomous communities with the greatest growth in exports in the period were Castile and León, Catalonia and La Rioja. Héctor Gómez: The dynamism of Spanish exports compared to imports means the trade deficit has fallen by up to 44%. One of this Government's priorities has been to strengthen and increase our exporting companies and to make Spain an attractive country for foreign investment.

  • Trade | 11/15/2023

    Africa, full of opportunities for Spanish companies

    The State Secretariat for Trade has updated its ‘Horizonte África’ strategy to increase the presence of Spanish companies and promote investment in the African continent. Trade relations between Spain and Africa have increased: Spanish exports to this continent have exceeded €21 B in the past year. Over the three years this strategy has been in place, 56 transactions financed by the FIEM (Fund for International Expansion of Business) have been approved.

  • Trade | 11/14/2023

    The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and the European Commission analyse tools for accessing international markets

    A new edition of "Market Access Day" is being held in Madrid.

  • Trade | 11/14/2023

    Spain contributes €2 million to the WTO's Fisheries Financial Mechanism

    Héctor Gómez, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism: Spain, as a leader in production and fishing tradition, demands to know that the product consumed does not come from illegal practices. The Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez, presented the Spanish contribution to the WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

  • Trade | 10/31/2023

    The Spanish Secretary of State for Trade discusses the Middle East situation with the Spanish business sector

    The Spanish Secretary of State for Trade has met with companies to provide information on the current state of international trade in this region

  • Trade | 10/27/2023

    EU members discuss boosting trade in environmental services to combat climate change

    Madrid has hosted the Informal Meeting of Experts from the EU Services and Investment Trade Policy Committee. During the Committee's investment session, experts discussed the future of investment protection agreements.

  • Trade | 10/25/2023

    Spanish trade representative participates in the World Trade Organisation Senior Officials' Meeting

    The aim of the meeting is to move work forward in the run-up to the forthcoming 13th WTO Ministerial Conference.

  • Trade | 10/24/2023

    Aid of up to 28,000 euros to assist SMEs with their internationalisation

    Through the International Mentoring part of the programme set up by the Secretary of State for Trade through the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and financed by Next Generation Funds. SMEs involved in the programme will put together an Internationalisation Plan with the help of a mentor from a large company.

  • Trade | 10/23/2023

    The Council has adopted a regulation to protect the EU from economic coercion by third countries

    The new legislation, known as the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), seeks to act as a deterrent and, ultimately, to facilitate the adoption of response measures by the EU to defend the interests of the EU.

  • Trade | 10/23/2023

    Three- and 12-month export prospects are favourable

    The evolution of external demand and international competition in terms of quality stand out as the factors with the greatest influence on export activity. The Synthetic Indicator of Export Activity (SIEA, Spanish acronym ISAE) for the third quarter of 2023 stands at -5.3 points.

  • Trade | 10/20/2023

    EU trade ministers advocate for trade openness and greater economic resilience

    During the Informal Meeting of Trade Ministers for the European Union (EU), held in Valencia, a pledge was made to move towards economic security in which free trade agreements play a key role. Héctor Gómez: "We have laid the foundations for ensuring greater security and confidence in international markets. We still need multilateral order based on clear trade rules. Europe must be at the forefront of the fight against protectionism and economic unilateralism”. The Ministers from the 27 Member States have agreed to develop a comprehensive approach that promotes economic resilience of the European Union.

  • Trade | 10/19/2023

    Spanish exports grow by 1.8% up to August and reach more than 250 billion euros

    The trade deficit was reduced to 25.758 billion euros during the first eight months of the year. Exports in the automotive, capital goods and food sectors continue to perform well. Héctor GómezThe reduction of the trade deficit is very good news for Spanish trade; the country must continue to work to become more and more competitive..

  • Women and Internationalization | 10/10/2023

    ICEX and Red.es launch a new edition of the programme "DESAFÍA San Francisco"

    The preparatory day was attended by the Secretaries of State for Trade and for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, as well as the CEOs participating in the programme The challenges, risks and lessons of internationalisation as an element of scalability for Spanish technology start-ups were analysed

  • Trade | 10/10/2023

    Retail sales at constant prices increase 7.0% year on year in August

    The average number of Social Security affiliates increased by 1.3% year on year in September 2023 to 1,937,647 Registered unemployment in retail trade decreased by 6.5% year-on-year in September 2023 Spain's retail confidence indicator is higher than that of the main European economies

  • Trade | 10/6/2023

    International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) elects Spain's Rafael Soriano Ortiz to chair its International Council

    Recognition for the active role of the EU and Spain in international trade of this product

  • Trade | 10/6/2023

    EU Council Group on 'Export Credits' meets in Madrid

    Experts discussed the market situation, recent and expected regulatory changes, as well as the future of a European strategy on export credit. With participation from the Spanish Secretary of State for Trade and the Director General for International Trade and Investment.

  • Trade | 10/5/2023

    Oman Investment Authority and COFIDES agree to set up the Spain Oman Private Equity Fund (SOPEF) II

    Both entities are extending their collaboration following the successful outcome of the first fund, created in 2018, which represents a total aggregate amount of 300 million euros for boosting the internationalisation and expansion of Spanish companies in agreed target markets.

  • Trade | 9/28/2023

    Sovereign wealth funds grow by 11% to $11.6 trillion by 2022

    The sectors in which sovereign wealth funds have diversified; they are now more evenly distributed across technology, industrials, real estate, financials and healthcare Sovereign wealth funds are shifting their investments from conventional oil-related industries to green technologies There were 376 deals in 354 unique transactions, with an investment value of USD 95.2 billion in 2022

  • Trade | 9/28/2023

    EU-Japan agreement adds 9 more Spanish protected geographical indications

    With this new extension, Spain now has a total of 42 protected geographical indications

  • Trade | 9/25/2023

    Cesce launches its new coverage to facilitate the acquisition of essential raw materials by Spanish companies operating internationally

    Through Direct Guarantee or Bank Guarantee policies, Spanish companies operating internationally can acquire essential raw materials for their industrial activity under better conditions (lower prices and longer contracting terms) Fernando Salazar, president of de Cesce: The new coverage fits in perfectly with our strong commitment to promoting the success of all Spanish companies and the internationalisation of the Spanish economy.

  • Trade | 9/21/2023

    Spanish exports grew by 3.3% as of July and exceeded €230 billion

    The trade deficit was reduced to 21.32 billion euros in the period from January to July The automobile industry, capital equipment and food sectors performed especially well in terms of exports

  • Trade | 9/20/2023

    Spain welcomes the meeting of the Informal Working Group on Export Controls

    Consisting of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Spain

  • Trade | 9/19/2023

    Cesce launches a line for export operations to Ukraine

    The new coverage, which has been allocated 30 million euros, will be awarded through Cesce's Supplier Credit Insurance Policy, aimed at insuring Spanish exporting companies against the risk of default or termination of the agreement by its foreign customer

  • Trade | 9/14/2023

    Trade recognizes the work of individuals, associations and companies for their support of Spanish business

    In three categories: domestic trade, foreign trade and women and internationalisation

  • Trade | 9/12/2023

    The Japanese trade aid programme to strengthen the business sector will mobilize 313 million euros

    A total of 356 projects submitted during the three calls made from 2021 to 2023 will receive support from Next Generation EU The grants will go to three courses of action for sustainable urban markets, sustainable markets in rural areas and strengthening the commercial sector in tourist areas

  • Trade | 9/11/2023

    Retail sales at constant prices increased by 7.7% in July 2023

    The number of Social Security affiliates increased by 1.3% year on year in August 2023 to reach 1,977,177 Registered unemployment in the retail trade fell by 6 per cent year on year in August 2023

  • Trade | 8/25/2023

    State Secretary for Trade present at the Trade and Investment Ministerial meeting in Jaipur

    Spain supports an open, fair international trading system based on multilateralism

  • Trade | 8/17/2023

    Spanish exports peaked and grew by 4.7 per cent in the first six months of 2023

    The trade deficit fell by nearly half to 16.420 billion euros in the first semester compared to 31.963 in the same period last year. The energy balance revealed a surplus of 285 million euros Héctor Gómez: Foreign trade is one of the engines of our economy, and Spanish companies are notable for their competitiveness, quality and innovation

  • Trade | 8/11/2023

    Competitiveness in the Spanish economy increases in the second quarter of 2023

    Improved competitiveness vis-à-vis the Spanish UE-27 and OECD

  • Trade | 8/10/2023

    Retail sales increased by 6.8% in June 2023

    The number of Social Security affiliates increased by 1.1% in July 2023 to reach 1.977.797, a historic peak in any month Registered unemployment in the retail trade declined by 5.6% year on year in July 2023, to the lowest unemployment figure of the series Héctor Gómez This is a very positive news, which highlights the good health and strength of our internal market and the overall economy

  • Trade | 7/26/2023

    Cunext Group signs a Syndicated Loan in the framework of its Strategic Investment Plan for Córdoba

    The CESCE state account offers coverage through its innovative "Strategic Investment Policy for Internationalisation"

  • Trade | 7/21/2023

    Trade leads a Spanish business mission to support reconstruction in Ukraine

    Xiana Méndez: Spanish companies are committed to Ukraine, and will play an important role in its recovery

  • Trade | 7/21/2023

    EU Member States give the Commission the green light to negotiate an agreement on critical minerals with the US

    The agreement will strengthen the international supply chain for critical minerals, a key sector for the ecological and digital transition. The objective is to grant European suppliers of essential minerals the same treatment as American suppliers when obtaining certain subsidies within the framework of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

  • Trade | 7/20/2023

    The Council renews and broadens temporary trade liberalisation measures with Moldova

    The regulation will temporarily suspend all tariffs and contingents in force in the European Union on imports from Moldova for one year

  • Trade | 7/20/2023

    The spanish exports increased by 6.4% until may record levels,

    The trade deficit has continued to decline to 47 per cent in the first five months of the year The autonomous communities with higher growth in their exports were castile and Leon, La Rioja and Catalonia Héctor Gómezthe strength of spanish companies exporting their good positioning in international markets make them more dynamic exports and imports.

  • Trade | 7/18/2023

    COFIDES is designated as one of the sovereign investors with best practices in governance and sustainability worldwide

    It took fifth position out of a total of more than 200 public investors from around the world and first position at European level. It was the institution with the third-highest level of annual return in 2022.

  • Trade | 7/17/2023

    The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism is looking for the best technological ideas for revitalizing the retail trade

    The prizes are worth €34,000, to be shared between the four winning ideas Deadline for entries is 14 August 2023

  • Trade | 7/14/2023

    The eu is taking the next step in the wto against us tariffs on spanish olives

    The objective of the enforcement procedure is initiated claim to Us to comply with the judgement of the wto Panel and to eliminate unwarranted their tariffs on black olives in spain.

  • Trade | 7/7/2023

    SMEs can opt for €20,000 in aid for international certification of their products and services outside the EU

    This is the first line of action of the Secretary of State for Trade's Internationalization Mentoring and Support Program launched by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The goal is to provide exporter SMEs with access to new markets and clientes to reduce regulatory risks The programm is funded Next Generation Funds under the Plan for Recovery, Transformation and Resilience

  • Trade | 7/6/2023

    Spain is gaining market share in attracting foreign investment and is situated at the 12th position at the global level

    Spain raised five posts in the list of destinations of foreign direct investment and received $35 billion in 2002 Spain is the third european country that received more foreign investment in the past year

  • Trade | 7/4/2023

    Government modernises investment regulations, strengthening legal certainty for investors and companies

    This new Royal Decree ensures that investment control regulations are applied in a clear and predicable manner, in accordance with the principle of legal certainty Héctor Gómez: Attracting foreign investment to Spain has been instrumental in advancing the modernisation of the economy and creating productive, stable and high-quality employment

  • Trade | 6/30/2023

    Trade hosts the "Second Economic, Commercial and Industrial Dialogue" between Spain and Japan

    The Secretary of State for Trade and the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry signed an agreement to drive business and trade relations between the two countries

  • Trade | 6/27/2023

    Commerce presents its priorities for the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the EU to the sector.

    With the aim of strengthening trade relations with Latin America, Spain will push to accelerate the closing of the Chile, Mexico and Mercosur agreements

  • Trade | 6/26/2023

    Commerce awards the decorations of the Orders of Isabella the Catholic and Civil Merit.

    Xiana Méndez: "You are a true example of the vocation of public service, collaboration, generosity and dedication."

  • Trade | 6/20/2023

    Foreign investment in Spain up 20.3% in the first quarter of 2023

    Industry tops the investment rankings Héctor Gómez: The Government's economic policy is key to generating confidence abroad, as demonstrated by the today's data. Legal certainty and solid economic growth reflect Spain strong position

  • Trade | 6/20/2023

    European Commission announces the conclusion of negotiations of the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement

    The Agreement will create business opportunities for Spanish companies on the African continent and includes pioneering commitments in the area of sustainability

  • Trade | 6/15/2023

    Spanish exports up by 9.2% year-on-year to April, an all-time high

    Trade deficit falls by 50% in the first four months of the year Héctor Gómez: In the first quarter, the deficit has halved thanks to Spanish exports

  • Trade | 6/13/2023

    Trade allocates over 9 million euros for the internationalization of SMEs

    Through the 'Mentoring and Support for the Internationalisation of SMEs' programme of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce The deadline for applications is 30 September 2023

  • Trade | 6/12/2023

    Retail sales at constant prices increased by 5% year-on-year in April 2023

    The average number of Social Security affiliates increased by 1.2% year-on-year in May 2023 to 1,906,880 The full report is available in this section of the Commerce web portal