Aragon and Navarra come together to boost the Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis

Strive business ties, boost the local economy and, consequently that of Spain, and ask for agility in the Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis. These are the three main points that have been addressed in the first meeting of the Aragón and Navarra Business Council, held in Zaragoza, in which the companies of both autonomies have joined efforts to continue moving forward in the lines of joint work that have already been developing for years.

Within these lines, one of the priorities is the Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis. “It is very important for Aragon and Navarra and also for Spain,” explained the president of CEOE Aragón, Miguel March in statements to the media before the start of this meeting.

In this same line, Manuel Piquer, president of the Confederation of Entrepreneurs in Navarra, also stated that this axis is “fundamental” for the Navarra community. “We fight because the high performance train arrives in Navarra as soon as possible. Now there are discussions on how to continue in the Basque Country, but we have to make it come as soon as possible.”

A connection that would not only benefit both autonomies, but also other communities. “It is a powerful infrastructure that will take a lot of route to the entire area of ​​La Rioja, Navarra, Valencia and Aragon,” said Antonio Garamendi, president of CEOE Spain, invited to this business meeting.

Garamendi has stressed that the analysis on this axis “speak of more than 50 daily trains in merchandise” only for what has also influenced the effect that it would have in the roads and road safety.

The Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis is not the only issue that has been addressed in this meeting in which relations in other sectors have also been addressed such as “energy, machinery or agrifood, in which we are two very powerful communities. We can have many synergies,” Miguel March added.

Likewise, the Stellantis gigabateria factory in Figueruelas with China Catl looks like a revulsive for the Ebro valley. The industry is another of the areas of activity to be value Above all, in Aragon with the collection of multimillionaire investments. It is good for society, “Garamendi has influenced.

For example, Navarra is the first community in industrial GDP, despite some setback such as the announcement of the possible total closure of the BSH plant in the community and the change of fiscal domicile of a company. A situation on which the president of the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Navarra has called for calm by ensuring that “there is no escape of companies as such. There are sometimes changes of fiscal domicile, but companies remain in Navarra”, as well as the employment that is generated. However, he has recognized that there is “some dramatic case such as the closure of a company”, although the objective is for the community to continue to grow and maintain its level. “We cannot stagnate, we have to improve in all areas.”

A link of more than 4,000 million

The economic relations between both autonomies are maintained despite the specific fiscal regime of Navarra, which is “a problem, mainly for us,” said the president of CEOE Aragón, who has stated that a different tax regime “is a lock for our competitiveness.” In this sense, it has influenced, in relation to the possible singular financing of Catalonia, in which “the Constitution says that all Spaniards are equal. I would like us to all be really the same. Both Basque Country and Navarra have a regime that was approved, but we do not make the problem bigger.”

Aragon and Navarra maintain a commercial relationship of 4,081 million euros, according to the latest data of the year 2022 provided by CEOE Aragón. In fact, Navarra is the fifth client community of Aragonese sales, while Aragon is the first customer autonomy of Navarre sales.

Aragón-Navarra Business Meeting in Zaragoza.

In addition, its economic structure is similar. The agriculture sector represents 5.38% GDP in Aragon and 3.45% in Navarra, while industry and energy represent 22.80% and 27.25% of GDP in the Aragonese and Navarra community. In the case of the manufacturing industry, this sector has a weight in the gross domestic product of 15.45% and 22.27%, respectively. Percentages that, in the case of construction are 5.11% and 5.12% and, in services, rise to 57.87% and 55.34%.

The Aragon unemployment rate is 7.62% and, in Navarra, it is in 6.60%. The business fabric of both autonomies represents 4.4% of Spain in relation to companies with workers registered in Social Security, while the autonomous group in the two communities represents 4.3% of the total of the national territory. Both concentrate 7% of exports and 5.6% of imports.

Trump tariffs

Another issue of concern of businessmen is the tariffs announced by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who concern businessmen because “they are still taxes. I would like it to be collaborating with the competitiveness of our economies instead of putting taxes and seeing who puts them higher,” said Miguel March.

In addition, the president of CEOE Aragón, explained that, “in the end, we are going to lose all if we continue with this dynamic. Companies need certainty and right now we are at a time when certainty is the good that is least putting yourself on the table. We will see what all this ends because it has to end. Tariffs mean more price increase and more inflation, they mean otherwise.”

In Navarra, tariffs also worry. Piquer has retired that “it is imposed and is uncertainty”, in addition to pointing out that “every day they change about the products that affect and companies need tranquility. These ads are not good for them. We will see what they end.”

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Aragon and Navarra come together to boost the Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis