CEJE members hold a meeting with Mr. Roger Torrent
This Friday, February 10th, the members of the Japan-Spain Business Circle, have had the opportunity to attend a working breakfast with the Minister of Enterprise and Labor, the Hble. Roger Torrent. The objective of the breakfast was to maintain a direct dialogue on the economic relations between Catalonia and Japan, as well as to comment on topics of interest to both Japanese and Catalan companies.
Today, there are 232 Japanese companies throughout Catalonia. The figure exceeds more than half of the Japanese companies that have their base of activity in Spain, and this explains the importance that Japan gives to Catalonia, within the framework of economic relations between Japan and Spain.
The activities of Japanese companies continue to grow more and more in Catalonia, through innovative strategies, such as the incorporation of new products and services with high added value, the establishment of research and development centers, or investment in the technology sector.
The event began with a welcome by Mr. RogerTorrent, at the offices of ACCIÓ in Barcelona, followed by the thanks made by Mr. Jorge Lasheras, president of the Japan-Spain Business Circle. The breakfast continued with the intervention of the Hble. Mr. Yasushi Sato, Consul General of Japan in Barcelona.
Before opening the debate to the rest of the attendees, Mr. Albert Castellanos, Secretary of Enterprise and Competitiveness and CEO of ACCIÓ, referred to the dynamism of the economy of Catalonia, as well as relations with Japan and ACCIÓ’s strategy in relation to foreign investment.
After the initial interventions of the event, all the attending companies were able to participate explaining their activities, projects and future challenges, to then exchange impressions on topics so relevant to the competitiveness of companies such as increasing the active presence of ACCIÓ and the Generalitat in Japan, consolidating the direct air connection between the two countries, encouraging the recruitment of talent and simplifying administrative procedures.
During the breakfast, both the guests and the speakers highlighted the importance of increasing visibility and support for those sectors that show strategic progress in business relations between Catalonia and Japan – sectors such as the chemical-pharmaceutical sector, the health sector, the new mobility sector, the technology sector and the energy sector. Finally, the guests also expressed their interest in the facilitation of government funding to develop all the points discussed.
