EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2009 - 2014

Committee on International Trade

20.11.2009

COMMUNICATION TO MEMBERS

Subject: Mission Report on the visit by a Delegation from the Committee on International Trade to Spain (3-6 November 2009)

Programme

A delegation from the European Parliament's International Trade comprising Mr. Metin Kazak (ALDE) (Leader of the Delegation), Ms. Laima Liucija Andrikienė (EPP), Mr. Mário David (EPP), Mr. Jörg Leichtfried (S&D), Mr. Iuliu Winkler (EPP), Ms. María Paloma Muñiz de Urquiza (S&D) and Mr. Pablo Zalba Bidegain (EPP) (the latter two MEPs travelling out of quota), visited Spain from 3 to 6 November 2009.

The forthcoming Spanish presidency of the EU which will take place during the first half of 2010 and the new powers conferred upon the European parliament in the area of international trade were the principal themes of this Delegation which visited both Pamplona and Madrid. Meetings were held with the regional government and business representatives in Pamplona and in particular with executives of two major economic actors: Acciona Energía and MTorres while, in Madrid, the Delegation met the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade and other representatives of the Spanish Government and Parliament as well as the Council of Chambers of Commerce. 1. The Delegation commenced in Pamplona on the evening of 3 November, by meeting Mr. Álvaro Miranda Simavilla, Vice-President and Regional Minister of Economy and Treasury of the Government of Navarra and other regional, local authority and business representatives,

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EN United in diversity EN where informal discussions were held on the future role of the EP under the Lisbon Treaty and on the current economic climate in Navarra. Organisations and companies represented included, the City Council of Pamplona, Confederación de empresarios de Navarra, Cámara Navarra de Comercio e Industria, Caja de Ahorros de Navarra, Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica and Volkswagen Navarra.

2. On the morning of 4 November, Members first visited the Acciona Energía company, a global leader and major EU exporter in the renewable sector. The company, which is present in the main areas of clean technology, focuses its activities on wind energy, in which it is the largest developer and constructor of wind farms in the world. ACCIONA Energía also develops research projects to produce hydrogen from wind power, to manufacture more efficient wind turbines and to optimise the production of biofuels, among other fields of innovation.

By mid-2008, ACCIONA Energía had installed almost 200 wind farms in the world with a combined capacity of 5,400 MW, of which 4,000 are owned by the company. With a total staff of 380 people, it is developing wind energy projects that add up to tens of thousands of MW. It is also a leading company in solar energy, with the highest capacity photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plants in the world. It also has three biomass plants in operation and another seven currently being developed, as well as 19 small hydro power stations, a biodiesel plant and a bioethanol plant. In the field of industrial wind power, it manufactures wind turbines using in-house technology.

During the meeting with Mr. Joaquín Mollinedo, Managing Director of Corporate Services and Legal Resources and Mr. José Arrieta Ollo, Director de Communication and External Relations and visit of the Control Centre of Renewable Energies, discussion centred on the need for the EU to maintain certainty and stimulus in the internal market, to ensure achievements in the climate and energy package and to work towards the removal of the mainly technical barriers to the export of wind turbines to third countries.

3. The Delegation then met Mr. Javier Marcotegui Ros, Vice-President of the Parliament of Navarra where the regional political situation was explained and subsidiarity discussed.

The Vice-President traced the history of the Parliament of Navarra back to the "Cortes" of the XIII century and through its recent development beginning with democratic elections in 1979. The Parliament's functions are regulated by the "Organic Law on the Reintegration and Improvement of the Autonomous Regime in Navarra" (Ley Orgánica de Reintegración y Amejoramiento del Régimen Foral de Navarra). These functions include representing the Navarra people, approving laws and the General Budget and electing and controlling the President. The First Term of Office ran from 1983-1987. Now in its Sixth Term, the current composition of the 50 Member parliament is as follows:

Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN) - 22 Members Nafarroa-Bai (NA-BAI) - 12 Members MEP Socialistas del Parlamento de Navarra (SPN) - 12 Members A.P.F. de Convergencia de Demócratas de Navarra (CDN) - 2 Members A.P.F. de Izquierda Unida de Navarra-Nafarroako Ezker Batua (IUN-NEB) - 2 Members

PE430.662v01-00 2/4 CM\796005EN.doc EN 4. In the afternoon, a meeting was held at MTorres, a group of companies, founded by entrepreneur Manual Torres, dedicated to the design, development and manufacturing of systems for industrial processes, automation and solutions for the energy and environmental sectors. The company which began making machinery for the paper industry in 1975, now designs and installs machinery for the aerospace industry (including Airbus and Boeing) and has most recently diversified into wind energy. Discussions took place on the bureaucratic and technical barriers to trade that companies such as this face in exporting to world markets.

5. After moving to Madrid, the Delegation met Mr. Alfredo Bonet, Secretary General for International Trade on Thursday 5 November. Discussions were held on the ambitious priorities of the future Spanish Presidency in the area of trade and on the new role of the European Parliament and the INTA Committee following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. Issues covered included the WTO Doha Round, market access, the "made-in" proposal, anti-dumping measures (shoes from China and Vietnam and biodiesel), Airbus/Boeing and the state of play on various bilateral trade issues such as- Russia, EPAs, Korea, Canada - US, Peru-Colombia, Mercosur, Central America, India, Euromed. Mr Bonet pointed out that for Spain, the internal market was now its domestic market and that it saw international trade as a means of promoting recovery.

6. The Delegation also met representatives of the Spanish Congress of Deputies Committee for Trade, Tourism and Industry (Chair Antonio Cuevas) and with the Senate Committee for Industry, Tourism and Trade (Chair José Antonio Alonso García), where the complementary roles of the European and national parliaments were discussed.

7. Mr. Miguel Sebastián Gascón, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade told Members that he believed that there would be a positive effect from the greater powers for the European Parliament in trade policy in terms of enhanced democratic legitimacy. He said that Spain had been working on the preparation of its Presidency since 2008 and that its priority would be economic recovery.

International trade had been the victim of the crisis, but had recovered well. However, it would be necessary to remain vigilant in order to combat protectionism, he said. Mr Gascón also indicated that Spain, during its Presidency, would sponsor moves to remove barriers to trade and to promote the inclusion of the poorest countries.

In the ensuing discussion, Members took the opportunity to raise again with the Minister, some of the issues that had earlier been covered with the Secretary General, Mr Bonet.

8. Later in the afternoon, Members also held an exchange of views with Mr. Diego López Garrido, Secretary of State for the EU, during which the more general aims of the Spanish Presidency related to economic recovery and the post Lisbon Strategy were covered.

Mr López Garrido said that the Presidency would highlight the Europe of the Citizens and the development of a real external policy for the Union. With regard to economic recovery, he said that in the short term, there was a need to maintain the current stimulus measures, but that in the longer run, there would be a need for a new well-coordinated strategy for Europe with concrete goals rather than Lisbon's "beatific wishes".

CM\796005EN.doc 3/4 PE430.662v01-00 EN The Secretary of State agreed with members, that a successful conclusion of the Doha Round was vital for recovery.

9. On Friday 6 November, a meeting was held with President Javier Gómez Navarro and other members of the Council of Chambers of Commerce and ICEX (Institute of International Trade) who highlighted their concerns to the INTA Delegation on the need for open markets and trade matters such as China (anti-dumping protection), Russia, Latin America, India, Euromed and Korea.

10. Finally, a meeting took place with Mr. Javier Vallés, Director of the Economic Office of the President of Government (Prime Minister) who discussed with Members the coordinated plan for tackling the financial and economic crisis and the ideas of the Spanish government for the replacement of the Lisbon Strategy.

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