In 2018, Extremadura exceeds the objectives set in exports and exporting companies for 2020

In the last decade, exports have grown by 60%

The Secretary General of Economy and Commerce, Antonio Ruiz, has pointed out in Mérida that Extremadura has exceeded, two years earlier, the objective that his department had planned to achieve in terms of exports in 2020.

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Thus, he explained that, currently, 2.300 Extremaduran companies They export their products and services to Europe and third countries, a figure higher than the objective of 1.800 companies planned for the 2020 horizon.

 

Regarding the value of the exports, in the absence of closing the full year, will be around 2.030 million euros in 2018.

 

In view of these data, the Secretary General considers that the region is in a period “favorable for converting going abroad into a structural element of our economy and a strategic component of business and growth to improve the competitiveness of our companies".

 

During his speech at the Conference on Trade Agreements between the European Union and Third Countries, which is held in Mérida, organized by Extremadura Advance, Ruiz has stressed that the companies that have left cannot return to their traditional “comfort zone” in the national market. And the companies that until now have not exported “have in the outside market the best opportunity.”

 

To do this, companies have the tools that the Board from Extremadura has been implemented in this legislature, as is the Strategic Internationalization Plan 2017-2020 (Xporta Plan), which makes the support provided to companies more flexible from the General Secretariat of Economy and Commerce, in order to increase the export activity of the Extremaduran economy.

 

 

Mérida has hosted this Conference, attended by representatives of more than 26 export companies in the region, to address the scope of the different trade agreements between Europe and third countries, “key” and “vitally important” information for making decisions. decisions in internationalization processes

 

 

 

One of the objectives is that, in 2020, the sum of exports plus imports reaches 20% of GDP. Currently, this index is around 17,8%.

 

At the same time, he has pointed out as another challenge the consolidation and diversification of the strategic markets and sectors, reducing dependence on european markets from 80% to 70%, to increase the weight of sales in third countries, among which will soon be the british market.

 

Agreements with Japan and Canada

 

The MEP of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero, has highlighted the “incredible” possibilities that Extremaduran companies have with the recent agreements reached between the European Union and Japan, last February 1.

 

“Tariffs have been eliminated – the MEP explained – on 91 products, which represents a significant tariff saving for European companies.”

 

In his opinion, the Japanese country, which highly values ​​product quality and added value, represents an “extraordinary” opportunity that Estremadura “You should take advantage”, for which he has recommended companies in the region to be more “proactive” when it comes to showing the potential that the land has compared to other products.