El Government of Extremadura has raised its voice to demand greater transparency and support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise in the face of the growing impact of international tariffs on key sectors in the region.
During the plenary session held in Valencia, Santamaría has pointed out that steel and aluminum from Extremadura face a 50% tariff in United StatesThis situation, he said, "seriously compromises its competitiveness." The regional minister also warned about the situation in the tomato sector, of which the region is the world's leading producer, especially regarding its derivatives. "There is a real risk that American products will enter the European market unchecked, affecting our producers," he cautioned.
In addition, Santamaría has expressed the concern of the pig sector regarding the recent restrictions imposed by China, with whom he plans to meet in the coming weeks. Although ham remains exempt from these measures, the minister indicated that other pork products could be affected.
The counselor also took advantage of his intervention to request a thorough analysis of the agreement with Mercosur.
Regional measures and request for greater central support
The Government of María Guardiola has already implemented regional measures to mitigate these effects, including an increase in the budget for market diversification, new aid for the internationalization of large companies, and the creation of a master's degree in Foreign Trade.
However, Santamaría insisted on the need for greater involvement from the central government, criticizing the "lack of transparency in dealings with the European Union, China and the United States"He stressed that the 14.000 billion euros of the national plan to address the situation have not materialized in the region."
The counselor also took advantage of his intervention to request an exhaustive analysis of the agreement with MercosurSantamaría warned that "every product that is liberalized can have a butterfly effect on other sectors." She defended the high quality of European production and stressed the importance of protecting regional production.
Finally, Santamaría reiterated the need for the central government to promote the continued operation of the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant. The minister argued that this plant is crucial to guaranteeing the stability and cost of electricity, maintaining employment at the Arañuelo field, and attracting new investment to Extremadura.
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