Brasília – Brazilian and Spanish businessmen created on Monday (4) a committee to make possible the partnership in search of other markets. Asia and the Middle East are the initial target. This way, the countries plan, through exports of manufactured products, to reduce the effects of the crisis and the exchange of knowledge and experience.
"We need all markets. This is a very important way out of the crisis, especially for medium-sized companies, through collaboration agreements. This should also include the possibility of work and exchange for youths and university students,” said the president of the Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organisations (Ceoe), Juan Rosell.
According to the president of the National Confederation of Industries (CNI), Robson de Andrade, this partnership is aimed at reaching markets in Asia and the Middle East, through exploration of manufactured products. “We want to bring together companies from both countries to make use of the expertise of the Spanish and the knowledge of Brazilians,” said Andrade. "For this reason, we need to join forces to reach them. This should also involve joint trade delegations to the regions, as well as training and qualification of professionals in both nations,” he added.
Andrade identifies the textile and energy sectors as those most benefited initially. "We want to develop the textile and garment sectors in Brazil. We need fashion designers. In this respect, Spain has much to offer and we have much to learn,” said the CNI president.
He also mentioned the sectors that involve technology. “Especially those connected to the wind and solar energy sectors. We hope to work much for them to produce, in Brazil, equipment both for Brazilian development and for exports, starting from a platform installed here, turned mainly to export to Latin America,” he added.
According to Juan Rosell, the market in Spain is living a complicated moment. “We had years of exceptional growth up to 2008, with our economy growing almost double that of the rest of the European Union. But, starting in 2009, we had great difficulties. In the first seven months of this century, we generated five million jobs. And, in recent years, we destroyed three million [jobs]. That is an important figure, though negative,” he explained.
According to Rosell, the new government of Spain has started reforms that are necessary for the labour market, for the financial sector and for the fiscal area, simplifying managerial matters. "We believe that these reforms are not going to show fruit tomorrow, but in the medium term. With the confidence we have in Spanish jobs, we believe that the reforms will come to fruit in the medium term,” he said.
*Translated by Mark Ament
