catalan way

The Spanish Government demands an additional budget reduction of 3.2 billion euros to Catalonia, while the Catalan Government claims 3.3 billion owed by the Spanish State. Catalan parties have accused Prime Minister Zapatero of reducing his government’s deficit by increasing that of the autonomous communities. The Spanish Government wants to force Autonomous Communities to pay for the deficit by limiting it through specific laws.

FDI in Catalonia surpassed the 3.9 billion euros mark in 2010. It represents 34% of FDI in Spain and was almost three times higher than 2009 levels. The Catalan Government is currently negotiating 189 projects that could bring in up to 6.5 billion euros to the Catalan economy.

The Rovira Brothers make an unrivalled gastronomic duo. They claim that having a close relationship with the producers is a key element to get the best out of the products they use.

The President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas announced in Madrid that in 2012, if the People’s Party (PP) or the Socialist Party (PSOE) want CiU’s support to form a new Spanish Government, Catalonia needs more money and greater control over its own finances. Mas made these comments the same day his Government agreed a 400 million euros loan.

The board of the Catalan savings bank decided to “temporarily” use public capital in order to meet the new requirements in the sector. This move means it will reach 10.4% of ‘core capital’. Private capital is expected to increase its share “in the medium-term”.

Catalans traditionally exchange roses and books with their loved ones on 23rd of April. Streets and squares around the country fill with crowds in celebration of the National Day or ‘Diada’.

Foreseeing a negative decision the Catalan Government already modified the law in 2009. The sentence declares illegal certain aspects of the law approved in 2005, such as conditioning the establishment of large retail centres to the expected effect on existing small businesses in the area or on the market share.

Catalan political parties will meet with social and economic agents to discuss how best to boost the Catalan economy. The Advisory Council is made up of academic experts and members of the business community. They drafted the report as a basis for discussion. Among many measures, they recommend partially paying for extra public services or reducing the number of public employees.

Catalan Olga Fontanillas is the founder of this NYC-based company. She assures this is the best time to break into the American market.

The French train manufacturer plans to lay off 1,380 employees at its plants in Germany, Italy and Spain. Alstom’s Spanish factory, which has 900 staff members is located in Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda, in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.

The Catalan pharmaceutical and chemical company was identified in a Wikileaks cable from the U.S. State Department as one of three strategic items the United States had in Spain, together with the natural gas pipeline from Algeria and the Gibraltar Strait. Grifols leads the blood plasma-based products’ market in Europe and is expanding its U.S. presence.

The ruling coalition Government promised the immediate abolition of the Inheritance Tax in the last election campaign; however the public finance situation has complicated the move. The Catalan President took the floor to stress that his Government is preparing a radical modification of this tax system. He wanted to stop the debate launched on Sunday by the Government’s Secretary.

PIMECAVA is the Association of Small and Medium-sized Cava Producers. It is chaired by Mercè Rosell, who claims in a video interview that the only way to compete against French champagne is by marketing cava as a quality and prestigious product. In order to do that it is fundamental to have the support of big cava companies like Freixenet and Codorniu and a good relationship with exporters.

The technology multinational will open a Customer Centre in the Scientific and Technological Park of Lleida to serve the entire Iberian Peninsula and international clients.

The company sells high end clothing on the Internet. It distributes over 25.000 items of clothing daily amongst its 3,7 million clients. The centre will deliver on demand from Spain and Italy.