economic

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Two thirds of those polled see political situation in Catalonia and Spain as one of main concerns

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Acting president Pedro Sánchez proposes to criminalize illegal referendums as right-wing parties urge him to suspend self-rule in Catalonia

European Commission now expects GDP to grow 2.9% this year

Unemployment in Catalonia fell by 10.7% in March in comparison to the same month last year, totaling 446,017 people. According to the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security, 6,325 people left the unemployment lists last month, which represents a slight 1.40% decline in comparison to February. However, with this drop, Catalonia has now registered 45 consecutive months of declining unemployment in annual terms. The number of jobless also fell across the whole of Spain. There were 48,559 fewer unemployed at the end of March and the number of people without a job totaled 3,702,317. Moreover, the number of unemployed in comparison to the same month last year fell by 9.58%, the highest decline registered in March since the beginning of the historic series.

The number of people registered on the unemployment lists in Catalonia in February stood at 452,342 people, 1,581 fewer than in January, according to the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. This February’s fall is the smallest registered for this month in the last 21 years. In annual terms, Catalonia has now listed 44 consecutive months of declining unemployment, since July 2013. Indeed, February has usually been a month with decreasing unemployment, except during the worst years of the economic crisis. The number of contracts registered in February stood at 222,369 units, the highest figure for the month of February since 2006. In the whole of Spain, unemployment also fell in February. There were 9,355 fewer unemployed than in January and the number of people without a job totalled 3,750,876.

The Catalan Ministry for Economy and Tax Office presented this Wednesday the data of the macroeconomic chart to be included in the budget for 2017, which the Catalan executive expects to pass next week.  According to this document, the Catalan economy’s expected growth will be 3.4%, 0.5% more than the growth forecast for the Spanish economy, which is expected to be 2.9%. Regarding 2017, the chart keeps the figure released last May which foresaw 2.7% growth. According to the Catalan Vice-president and Minister for Economy and Tax Office, Oriol Junqueras, this figure is “considerably higher” than the expected growth for the Eurozone (1.5%). The budget for 2017 also foresees the creation of 160,000 jobs between 2016 and 2017. 

“For the last few years, especially since Catalonia passed the new Statute of Autonomy in 2010, Spain has neglected its duties towards Catalonia”, stated on Thursday Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont. In front of an auditorium full of businessmen and with Spain’s King, Philip VI and Spanish Vice President and Minister for Territorial Administrations, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, also present, Puigdemont emphasised Catalonia’s leading role in terms of business and praised its economic strength. During the ‘Ferrer Salat’ awards, given by Catalonia’s largest employers’ associations in recognition of the most outstanding businesses, Puigdemont lamented the Spanish Government’s attitude and accused it of refusing to listen to the citizens’ demands, which is an “indispensable condition” for having “the productive dialogue we all hope for” and which is the legal basis of a democracy.