president’s letter

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons

President of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

Dear member:

This Yearbook features the main events organized by our Chamber during the 2019 exercise. This document testifies to our activity. This very letter of the Yearbook, that you now hold in your hands, will give you a brief account of the evolution of our association. The growth trend in which we are now engaged is notorious. The time of the forced change that, of course, allowed us to overcome the consequences of the 2008-2014 crisis, without hardly noticing its effects, remain now as a memory. Behind us, but not forgotten, are now the times when government subsidies cushioned the results and when difficulties seemed to impact on the enthusiasm of the staff and on all of us, the members. The Chamber is today a tool, I would dare to say, necessary, at the service of the Spanish business world interested in both Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as in getting closer to the European institutions. Our intense collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in Belgium is marked by very positive achievements.

The decisive support of the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU enables us to establish the necessary dialogue with the EU institutions. This same spirit prevails in our relations with the Embassy in Luxembourg. In the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the impulse that local members are giving to the Delegation established there is remarkable. Indeed, work is underway to adopt measures to optimise the supply of services for the financial sector, in which the majority of them are involved.

I am proud to confirm that we continue to be a reference in the management of European projects. I would like to express my optimism for the election of Arancha González Laya as Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation. Her CV seems to show an undeniable inclination towards international trade. Her vision of the importance of the action of “Economic Diplomacy” is a great asset. In order to achieve greatest effectiveness, this “force” must combine the public with the private. In the network of Official Spanish Chambers of Commerce Abroad, the Economic Diplomacy has the natural partenaire.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank our Secretary General, María Catalán, thank our Business Development Manager, Marta González, thank our European Programmes Manager, Soraya Bravo and thank our young stagiaires. Our human capital is our main asset.

I want to thank the group of members who, with me, are part of the Board of Directors, thank you for “enduring” me another year. Thank the sponsors who, with their generosity, help to the improvement of the quality of our services. Thank you, dear member.